Hey Crumsie, a little late to the party but your beard seems to be progressing just fine. You look good with the trim and I'm definitely glad you didn't give up the cheeks. They look fine as they are and will only get better with time. It has already developed further since the trim. Who knows, you may be able to go caveman after a while
In the meantime, I'm glad to hear your beard is having an effect on your self image. A lot of guys (including me) talk about the psychological aspects of becoming bearded. It sounds cheesy to the average outsider (oh, say, like my wife!) but it's very real.
Beard on!