Congratulations! It's a wonderful feeling to finish something that you can wear or use, isn't it? That's why knitting is so addictive.
BTW, your story reminded me of an old episode of M*A*S*H. They had heard the war was supposed to be declared over, and Margaret started "just a little potholder." As time went on, and the war obviously wasn't over, it showed her in scene after scene as her knitting grew from the potholder, to a scarf, to a shawl, to a huge afghan by the following year!
Purling's not that hard, and once you grasp it, you'll be able to do anything! Way to go!