Good for you! My son bought me a Mossberg 500A pistol-grip shotgun for my birthday - I also have my late husband’s rifle. I am planning on joining my local Rod and Gun club - good practice range, skeet-shooting and archery. Lots of old hunters to help me learn how to use the thing.
The Mossberg 500 with a pistol grip is an excellent defense weapon. I pair it with Hornady low recoil 00 buckshot.
My wife kept it in the apartment she had for six months when she relocated and before I could sell our house and join her.