I’m starting to get answers to my questions. Its growing hard and setting buds on the new growth, and even some new buds coming on last year's wood. I'm hopeful that I can chase the foliage back over the years of it keeps this up.
This is a branch that the terminal bud dried up. Several like this have pushed buds just next to the tip and some are pushing now.
And this right here I’m really excited about. See the bud to the left of my thumb, that is new this year on the growth from last year. I should be able to cut back this fall to that bud and shorten this branch by 4 inches or more. Just got to keep it healthy through the summer.