House broken into yesterday.. home defense help needed

Hey all,

I've been at a bit of a loss for the past few days and was hoping that someone could shed some light on the subject.

My house was broken into yesterday. As I am out of town for the holiday, I have only had my house-sitter and the police to give me an initial report. It looks like nothing was stolen and the culprits were probably looking for the previous (very rich) occupants belongings. In any case, I have been debating the idea of a first firearm for a while now and believe that it's time. My girlfriend is moving in in May and I would like to get this squared away before she comes.

I went to a shooting range with some friends today and tried out a few basic shotguns including a Mossberg 500 pistol grip. While the gun is probably not the best for target shooting, it seems like it would make a great first gun with my intentions. I plan to get a bit more involved in the firearms scene and would like to purchase a 9mm in the future. But, as a newbie I think a shotgun would make the most sense. Any advice? Should I purchase a bedside safe? Those of you who leave home defense weapons by the bed, how do you store them? I appreciate any and all wisdom. Thanks guys. This is an important issue to me.