Good morning,

If you are concerned that you are not moving water, simply disconnect the top hose from the radiator and start the car. Be sure to direct the flow into a bucket in case the pump is working. ;-)

You can do the same thing with the heater hoses if you want to make sure you've flow through the small pipe.

Have you actually driven the car? With no airflow through the radiator the temps will run on the high end. When stuck in traffic I eye the gauge closely and I have been a bit worried a time or two. To date, the car has not boiled even in Houston summer traffic jams.