INTRUDER ALERT!!!

Shock, anger, disgust, shame, distress, panic...violated. So many different emotions come flooding all at once making it hard to focus, to think, to react. Before you know it, training sets in, survival instincts take over and your will to protect what is yours surpasses all. Silent prayers being said. Numb fingers dialing 911... your husband perched on the stairs with a loaded gun.... ready to take down anyone who might come barging through that front door.  Another prayer, thank you Lord for letting him be home right now, Lord help us...

Rewind

I fly up the stairs behind my husband, cell phone in hand. I look down at him as he is loading the gun my dad gave me for my 13th birthday...(thank you daddy for always looking out for me.)
I look up at my husband as he is standing at the top of our stairs, "Do I call?"
He smiles at me, "No not yet, lets see what he does."
(THUD<THUD<THUD)
We both jump looking down the stairs at the front door...the dreadful sound like he is slamming his body against our front door...in an instant Jon is down, gun level, ready to shoot...I hit call, I had already had 911 dialed in...
"911 What is your emergency"
"Y-yes, someone is trying to break into our house"
"Okay Ma'am, what is your address"
Another loud noise coming from our front door, (THUD< THUD)
He is still trying to get in!
I sputter out the address so quickly I am glad this message is probably being recorded right now, I don't think I could repeat it....ok Lizzy, deep breath.
"Okay Ma'am, I am going to put you on hold while I send someone over"
(THUD)
Thoughts flying through my head, ("THEY PUT ME ON HOLD? WHAT! Lord keep us safe... is this really happening...Wow my husband looks hot right now armed and ready, perched on the stairs...how is he so calm, I'm shaking like a leaf... Thank you U.S. Army for teaching him to be ready.)
Dispatcher back on the line.
"Okay Ma'am I have two deputies in route. What does your house look like?"
I get myself together and describe our house as best as I can, "Two story, grayish blue, American flag hanging outside"
"Garage? Attached? Cars visible"
"Yes, attached garage, green mercedes, purple jeep grand cherokee"
"Okay, Im going to put you on hold again"
I stammer out a quick thank you, while inside I'm thinking really "On Hold Again!" Do you realize someone is trying to break in!" Im nauseous, shaking, praying, someone please get here. Then the  "what if thoughts"....what if they make it through the door....what if they are armed? Lord keep my husband safe. (thoughts pushed away, focus, think!) Panic, dread, hate.
Dispatcher back on the line.
"Ma'am? We have officers there, tell your husband to disarm his weapon and stay up stairs till the officers give the clear, they have your house surrounded."
"Oh, thank you!" I am back on hold.
More thoughts "Who....why, I hope they catch the idiot."
Jon goes downstairs and peeks out the window, "They got him, they got someone in cuffs."
(Thank you Lord, its over, they got him.)
Its over...sigh.

A police officer comes in to question us while others are monitoring the perp. We give a thorough recollection of the evening from the moment we heard a gentle knock to the gut wrenching moment he was trying to break in, the the feeling of utter relief seeing the police pull up. The officer asks us if we have ever seen this guy, and neither of us had. To our surprise he is our next door neighbor. After another brief conversation with a second officer they ensure us he will be going to jail and if we need anything we can call. He also recommends that we get a restraining order on the guy due to the close proximity we will have. We gladly agreed.

All I can say to the events of this evening is "I am so thankful we were prepared. From the dead bolts on our doors to the gun upstairs...we were ready." If we weren't just renting we would have invested in an alarm system. I must also thank the local police officers who quickly came to our rescue. Only Lord knows what would have happened had they taken any longer. I am positive though that the perp would have gotten the business end of the gun. Thank you to my hubby who protected me from harm and for all those times I have been told what to do in this case. You think how could this happen? You may even think this will never happen to me, but it does. Many times it happens when you least expect it. Even though he didn't make it in the house, he sure tried and might have succeeded had he had a little more effort and time.

Lord thank you for keeping us safe from harm tonight, and please continue to watch over our house. We are trusting you in all things and know that you mighty hand will guide us and protect us. Let this be a lesson to those around us in our neighborhood...don't mess with the Wagner's, we are armed and ready.

And we will be posting this sign in our front window in the very near future. To all those reading... sleep tight, be safe, and please please have a plan.