congrats on your new bike Nanci: sounds like a love affair already in the making there!!

As for your questions: the answer to most of them is yes, it's a road bike and it will ride different than a MTB and it'll take some getting used to. You might try another pair of gloves if your current ones feel to "slicky" but your hands are in a different position as you already noticed so I would give yourself some time to adjust. (unless the gloves are making you nervous) also you have way more options for hand placement on a road bike than you did on the MTB so take your time getting used to them all, being able to move your hands around on the bars will make longer rides more comfortable to you. Road bikes - as a rule - will always ride a little more squirrely than Hybrids, MTBs, or commuter bikes coz they weigh less, the tires are thinner and your body weight sits different on the bike. Again, just take your time getting used to her - maybe find a park and do slow crazy things on her so you can get used to how she handles without worrying about damaging anything on either of you if you fall. Think of her as a sports car to your old SUV!