Don't worry, I was the exact same way when I got my first bp. You're going to get used to her and she's going to get used to you.
In regards to the heating, get a digital infrared thermometer so you can accurately measure temps. I personally use a ZooMed Reptitemp. Also, the link below will give you all the info about thermostats and thermometers. Definitely need a thermostat for your UTH.
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=206130
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