I think s-rp did a great job of addressing your questions so I'm going to pick and choose a couple points to make.
AKATHISTS are wonderful devotional hymns or verses dedicated to Jesus, Mary, the Saints etc. Here's an example of a prayer to ST. MICHAEL which is excerpted from the Akathist:
https://akathistreconstructed.wordpress.com/michael-archangel/
PRAYER Of course we are to pray in our own words but there are also a multitude of prayer books that have daily prayers and occasional prayers. Most people pray the morning prayers and the evening prayers, but a priest can give you a prayer rule to follow. I love Orthodox prayer books and seem to collect them so there are loads to choose from
MIRACLES I would say I'm more aware of miracles such as icons that weep Holy oil, water, maybe even blood. There are a couple things I'd like to send you in DM if you don't mind.
PRAYERS TO THE THEOTOKOS We don't have Adoration but there are many prayers to the Theotokos (this is where prayer books come in handy). The Orthodox have a version of the Hail Mary which is. "Rejoice! O Virgin Theotokos! Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, for you have borne the Savior of our souls!" It's basically the same.
The prayer rule of the Theotokos is an ancient prayer rule that the Theotokos gave to an Egyptian monk. Eventually it fell out of use until St. Seraphim of Sarov renewed it. Here is an Amazon link to a book with this prayer rule:
https://www.amazon.com/Prayer-Rule-Theotokos-Prayed-Seraphim-ebook/dp/B077R1ZR2L
When we pray for someone we can pray from our heart and/or from a prayer book that has relevant prayers. I suppose you could pray the Jesus Prayer for someone?
The AERIAL TOLLHOUSES is a controversial belief about what happens when we die. It's not doctrine so everyone doesn't have to believe it. I think it was less controversial in the early church. Many of the fathers wrote about them. But today I don't think it's as widely accepted (someone correct me if I'm wrong).
I'm excited to know how your discernment is going!