Glad you stuck it out. I'm thinking of getting a rescue plant myself from the local grocery. :)
Also reminds me of an episode of DragonTales that was on the children's PBS satellite network last night. It was about a Lilly who was away from the fields where the other lillies were and was lonely. The kids and the dragons (trying to be helpful) overwatered her. Finally they got it all worked out. Your african violet story reminding so much of that.