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Thanks for the support!

I was talking to a good friend of mine at lunch today who carries (and happens to be my sensei) and he just looked at me and told me to ask them if they have insurance and why. I immediately understood where he was going, and it comes pretty darned close to having a weapon on board - they both are there just in case something happens, even though we hope nothing does in both cases.

I think I'll start throwing that out there from now on :)

Thanks guys, I needed some of that.

Now, to be fair to the in-laws, it was my wife threatening me with a quick dump in the water - she ignored the slight glances down at my hip as an indicator to me being armed so I had to be a little more verbal. We have had a talk about that and I think that issue is solved. The other incident my MIL was drunk and trying to talk me into jumping into the hot tub with my clothes on and wouldn't drop it, so I told her why I wasn't getting in.

As for the in-laws I guess that'll take more time than I would like, but time is what I have a lot of anyway.

Got a bit of a problem on my hands, nothing too serious, just very aggravating.

My wife and I both have our CHLs. My wife was never around firearms before meeting me, and was very uncomfortable around them for the longest time. I was raised by police officers and joined the Army at the ripe old age of 17, needless to say, I'm very comfortable around firearms and took my time introducing my wife to them. She now has her own handgun and carries almost as often as I do, she also visits the range with me most times and can strip and clean her own weapon.

Now, on to the problem. I am always armed unless I am legally required to disarm. Her family is very uncomfortable with this, and I'm always having to justify myself to them. Now, logic would dictate that I not tell them that I'm armed, but recently there have been two incidents in which I "had" to disclose my status, both involved being thrown into water against my will. I did not want to get my weapon wet, so I told them. I then had to listen to my mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law grip about how I didn't need to have that "thing" strapped to my hip all the time.

This last weekend my wife, our kids and her family went and stayed at Schlitterbahn, I brought a lock box for my weapon and locked it up once we arrived. Of course the lock box was on the nightstand and word quickly spread that I had brought my "gun" along with me. At this time I had 5 people telling me nothing would happen and that I shouldn't have brought the gun with me and that the world is a safer place than I seem to think it is.

I told them I was protecting my family and was prepared to lay down my life for them if the time ever came. I also told them that in the very least assuming safety while traveling is very naive. I informed them that I took the safety of my family serious and that I have an extensive background in firearm training. I also informed them that I was quiet puzzled that they weren't happy that I took my duty to protect my loved ones, after all, I am married to their daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece and cousin.

I was told by my grandmother-in-law that I was "barbaric"....

I guess I don't understand how safety can be so quickly assumed in the world we live in. I can totally understand being uncomfortable around firearms, but I don't get why I have to be chastised. My wife keeps telling me that they just don't understand and she has told her family that the one time I am not armed may be the one time I need to be armed and that she feels lucky and proud to have married a man that takes his responsibilities to his family seriously.

What else can I do? I don't go around announcing that I'm armed, but at the same time I don't feel like I should have to lie to family if I'm asked.