Creamy, did you jump right into all-grain? That's pretty impressive, and I'm not surprised that it seemed a little daunting. You *might* want to try extract for your first few batches (not counting this one of course), just to limit the amount of new things to learn. I think of brewing as being along a continuum in terms of complexity, with cider/mead/etc being the simplest, since it really only requires control over the sanitation/fermentation process. Next is extract brewing, since the boil and cooling phases are added, and finally AG, which requires knowledge of (if not mastery!) all of those processes, plus the mashing/extraction process as well. It's just an additional wrinkle to add on top, if you like, once you're comfortable with the rest.
That said, some people jump straight into AG and swear by that method as well. So do what feels right.