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Okay, I am pretty new to Morrowind - Oblivion is my favorite ES game (I've beaten the main game 4 four times as a different race each time) and I have been fascinated by the lore and deep characterization behind Morrowind, however I find that whenever I play I tend to die...a lot. It's not as bad as Daggerfall where I can't even get the damn game to run properly, just that it seems I am easily overwhelmed, and exhausted by the time I complete even one quest I tend to lose interest in continuing on because of how long it all takes. Any advice to keep my interest going? (I'm playing on Xbox btw).

The easiest way to ensure that you don't get overwhelmed at the start is to stay in the Seyda Neen area and train on animals until you're around level four. Get used to the mechanics, save money, ask questions. Once there, and once you've got around 1k, go to Balmora and pick up a demon, fiend, or devil weapon from Ra'Virr. You'll be able to summon a daedric quality weapon (that weighs nothing, which is great advantage early on. Always carry at least 5 health and magicka potions and don't be afraid to use them in a situation that might go sour real fast. Stay out of Tombs unless you have potions of restore strength.
Using the in game fast travel systems will really help too.

If you could post your class in the "Post Your Character" thread, I could give some more specific advice.

One last thing, don't be afraid to take a dungeon one NPC at a time. Don't rush headlong into fights you aren't prepared for. You'll soon enough be able to take on whole dungeons and quests soon.

I actually wouldn't recommend looking up dungeons on uesp, at least on your first playthrough. It will diminish the sense of mystery that is Morrowind's greatest characteristic. Just make a habit of saving often. Save before every dungeon entrance and every doorway to a new area. If you walk into a bandit cave and get knocked out in one or two hits, you're probably not ready for that dungeon yet. Remember that unlike in Oblivion, you're not meant to be capable of defeating everything in the world at level 1. Don't take it as a sign that your character is too weak. It's just more realistic that way. Not everyone is the same level in the real world.

And remember that Morrowind does not provide instant gratification. The pacing is very slow. This can turn off a lot of players initially. But the more you stick with it the more you will be rewarded for your perseverance. With questlines in particular, it can take a while for the full picture to emerge. You won't always know the real motive behind what you're doing until much later. But ultimately this is what makes the game so engrossing in the long term.

Also, it might help elicit less generalized advice if you could be more specific as to which particular aspects you're struggling with.

For medium armor, the easiest/cheapest gear to start with is a set of bonemold. Easily obtainable from the smiths in Balmora or Ald-ruhn. Orcish Armor is higher grade but much more expensive, though there's a set available in a certain manor in Caldera. If you have the expansions, smiths will be selling Adamantium (one of the best medium armors in the game), but it costs an arm and a leg. You're better off waiting until you're rich for that.

Playing a spellsword isn't that difficult in Morrowind. I'd say it's one of the easiest playstyles actually. You get the melee capabilities of a pure warrior with the added benefit of a variety of spells. But judging by your build I'd say you're closer to a Crusader. Destruction for ranged attacks and backup damage while you hack away in melee with your blade. I think it's a fine build for a first playthrough.

In the early levels, you'll suffer from the same problem as everyone else - being broke. Once you make enough money to buy some spells and decent gear it'll be smooth sailing then on.

And Umbra exists in Morrowind as well, BTW. Though I don't suggest going after him at level 1.

I was also thinking of joining House Redoran this time around since my last character (before my 360 HD went to heaven) joined House Telvanni (which is mainly magic). Any pros, cons to joining a particular house?

It's highly subjective. You probably want to join the House that best suits your build and playstyle. Redoran is a good choice.

Factors determining the pros/cons of different Houses can include things like loot/rewards, enjoyability of questlines, or how good the strongholds are. IMO Telvanni wins on all accounts. But each House has its own distinct flavor.

The Houses, mechanically speaking, personify one of the three specializations. Usually, it's easiest to go with the house that reflects your specialization. Depending on your build though, like Demiverse said, one House that isn't your specialization may fit you better. Also, due to your character's story, personality, and goals, one House may be a better option.

I currently have a character, that, although mostly centers around stealth-typed actions, combat, and ideals, is Specialized in Magic and is a member of Telvanni. Not because he thinks of himself as a Wizard Lord, but because they'd leave him to do his own thing without really caring, while making sure no one else interfered either. He's currently focusing his efforts towards the Morag Tong.

So, really, just weigh them all and see what feels right.

To embellish that point -

Remember that you aren't obligated to complete faction questlines. There's nothing wrong with joining a guild or house without focusing on advancement. Some characters may not have the talent, the level of ambition or the interest in politics required to fast-track through the ranks. Others might join only to take advantage of membership perks, or to perform odd jobs when they need money, or as part of their family tradition. Not every character must be a caricature. IRL, most people are not Grand Master of Everything.

There are plenty of examples of this in-game as well. Virtually every house and guild has NPC hirelings or retainers whose skill sets would prevent them from reaching a high rank within the faction. Even thieves need smiths to craft their weapons and armor; even wizards need bodyguards to protect their towers. Just something to think about.