Last week i would have said XD all the way. I bought a m&p sat. and i love it. I love my XD and have had no problems with it, but it is not as comfortable in my hand as my m&p. You may have a different experience though. You cant go wrong either way.
I will also eco what the other ppl here have said regarding caliber. If you are gonna be able to shot more 9mm than get a 9mm. I do believe a 45 is better but caliber is not near as important as knowing your gun and shot placement. The only way you get better is shooting.
Well, after much research, and many trips to the local gun range to shoot various models, it didn't come down to the M&P and XD afterall. After many trials, I was able to narrow it down to the CZ 75 and the XD, both in 9mm.
Neadless to say, I am now the proud owner of a XD 9mm. I love it and couldn't be happier with my decision.
I would like to thank everyone for the information that they provided. This is a fantastic forum with tons of enthusiastic and knowledgeable individuals!
Thanks again for the help!