zach_ina_box:
You are correct about the instrumentation amplifier, I should have used a better amp than the 741 but I am out of time thus I must use what I have and make it work. A bridge is classified by how many active elements are in the bridge, mine has two thus is a half bridge. The most frustrating part is that we utilized the same configuration, only with a quarter bridge, and a 741 op amp to measure pressure in a pressure vessel in a lab and it worked fine. The difference being that we measured the output using a very sensitive multimeter and I no longer have that luxury.
Well I would very much dispute your definition of various bridge configurations. How many of the resistance elements have fixed values Vs variable values has no bearing on if the circuit configuration is in fact a classic four element Wheatstone bridge configuration or not, as yours most certainly is. You are certainly allowed to have your own personal definition of circuit configurations, but just don't expect to be able to communicate to others clearly what you mean. 
Lefty