Ah, infatuation--my H also initially saw his OW in much more glowing terms than all his colleagues, and as being insanely intelligent. You have to feel sorry for these women, though, who are so insecure in their abilities that they have to charm a male "friend" to manoeuvre them into a job.
Yes, it does take time for this infatuation to subside. Long after my H was out of the tunnel, committed to our M, generally free from the depression and acting like an improved version of his "old" self, he clung to the idea of her as having been perfect, blameless, etc. It was only after 6-12 months that the occasional "down" periods when he clung to her memory ended, and he was able to let go of her completely by forgiving himself. So hang in there--it takes time for them to give up their crutches and other aids even when they're working on the M.
It is very hard to bring back those feelings you put on the shelf--that takes an equally long time. But it's important not to let yourself become someone who has been diminished by the EA: someone who is less loving, less trusting, etc. You want to have emerged from the crisis a stronger, more loving, more trusting, more compassionate person. It is a process ... and it is worth it.
