Well....
1- I don't work at a shop. I just bug the people who do by drinking all their beer .

2- Jaquie Phelan's deal is all hard core mountain biking. She's great, but a hybrid won't cut it at her clinics. You'll need a mountain bike.

3- Tell you're husband you'll go to narrower tires when you're good and ready. This is truth, you will wake up one day and decide to change, but you need to do this in your own time. Ask him to explain what he wants to do to your bike and mull it over. Tires come in an almost infinate variety of widths and treads so there may be a comfort/ speed compromise that's better, just get him to talk to you and let it be your desicion. And you may keep the hybrid as is and make him get you an Orbea.
Hybrid tires ARE road tires, just wider than those used on drop bar bikes. You can keep the width, and get slicker tires that will be faster. If you have a suspension fork you can go narrower and not really feel anymore beat up, though they will handle a little differently. You'll take a whole week to get used to them . But if you like your bike, just ride it. Men oh so love to jump in and fiddle with things. It's just their nature, and not a bad thing. But he should explain it and let you decide, it's your pet and you ride it.

I have slicks for my mountain bike and have done a lot of 50-60 mile rides on the road on it. It's not just about tires, though. It takes time to learn technique and get fit enough, and a lot of riders forget what it was like. I've been off the bike with a couple years of injury and coming back has been a rude awakening.

Carry on girl, you're doing great.

Lizzy