I think all I can do is clap my hands together gleefully. Hurray that you're enjoying the differences, I have friends that haven't been able to make the jump from the anime and it's always a bit disappointing.

The girls (all of them) really do get a better deal in the manga, Winry in particular. She doesn't come off as clingy or useless, and she has her own life away from Ed and Al. That was sorely missing in the anime.

*grins* I can't wait till you get further into it.