Word opens using the Normal template. Sounds to me like you've saved over that template. I often get a message when I'm closing a document that says something like, "You've made changes to the Normal template. Do you want to save those changes." I always click NO.
You need to open the Normal template in edit mode and delete all the text. Then re-save as a template. Sometimes it's tricky to do that.
when I open up new I have to go into the templates to get a blank page, which does not make any sense to me.
On one of your toolbars do you see an icon that looks like a blank page? Click that and a new document should pop up without going to templates.