Parashat Va'era

Parashat Va'era is an interesting Portion with quite a bit to work through.  Several of the pieces that I found interesting, were:

• Noting that it was Aaron's staff that G-d instructed to be used to bring about the sign and miracle of the pre-plague and the first plague.  Chapter 7:10, 12 note that it was Aaron's staff that becomes a serpent (tanin).  I know that Aaron's rod blossoms, and is what Moses uses to strike the rock, but what else did it go through before it's final resting place in the ark?
• I am interested in knowing which Egyptian god or gods each of the plagues was standing against. 
• I read on http://graspingmashiach.wordpress.com/ from Jan 17, 2010 that when Moses was instructed to throw down his rod in 4:3, that it became a Nachash, but when the sign was performed in front of Pharaoh with Aaron's staff, that it becomes a Tanin. 
• In the opening of Chapter 6, G-d notes that he had not shown Himself as the LORD, but I was interested in the first use of the tetragrammaton. 

I will try to look up some of these and follow up with some information.

What I can say, is that my wife and I had a great evening sitting at the table and studying the word together.