Chrissee - pay no attention to the MAD man. He has his OWN motives for what he posts here. Do not feel like you're being a coward or chicken or anything else negative by "hiding" from the JWs. My husband and I had to do that in the months before we DA'd because it was every weekend and sometimes during the week that certain elders and their wives would knock on the door. We had nothing to say to them, and we certainly did not want to "study" with them as they kept asking us to do.
During our times of hiding, I felt a little guilty at first. Then I came to the conclusion in my mind that I am under absolutely NO obligation to answer the phone or the door just because someone decided to call or knock. It's my home, and my phone, and I can choose to answer or not. It certainly helps ease the pressure and guilt if you approach things this way. It's a little annoying, knowing they're out there waiting forever for you to come to the door, but don't let them make you feel bad for not answering. By the way, the day we sent our DA letter, all of the annoying calls and visits came to a screeching halt. Haven't heard a word from them since September; I'm loving the peace and quiet.