Hello Michelle, welcome to Susan's!
I am MtF, headed down a similar road and can share your excitement for anticipating hormone therapy - I could barely wait those two months earlier this year. I live in the Seattle area and many of the best medical practitioners have waiting lists.
I had thick beard stubble which I hated... completely gone now, I was able to stop shaving a year before I started HRT. That turned out to be one of my best decisions as it made many other parts of transition easier.
Great to hear your friends and family have been positive overall. That's when you know who your real friends are, and a family you can truly count on. If a particular family member doesn't accept your goals they might require more time to adjust and understand.
Here's some links and shortcuts we provide to new members, to help speed up navigation and to explain some of the unique aspects of Susan's Place.
Things that you should read
Michelle I'm really glad you joined, and thank you for writing an introduction. See you around!
Kendra