Wow - thank you so much for your kind words! I know I tend to ramble on a bit in my braces story, but if anything in there helps anyone to get over their trepidation about getting braces, then I know it's worth it. The Damon Q brackets you're getting are the same ones I got when I first got braced. They're rather small and unobtrusive and, like you said, self-ligating so you can eat to your heart's content without worrying about staining. I did end up changing my upper brackets to Radiance clear ones, but still kept the metal Damons on the bottom.
I got my braces purely on impulse. I was on vacation with a friend who had just gotten hers off after 18 months, and literally, the day after my plane landed back at home, I was on the phone to an orthodontist and got an appointment that same day for a consultation. A few days later, I got a second consultation and got braced 2 weeks after that. No time to think too much, which is best for me.
Of course, I had a bazillion and one other questions during that two-week period, so I was on the phone with the ortho every other day. I'm sure they were glad once I got in there and got it over with. My orthodontist said that adults are much more difficult to work with than kids (well, maybe not those exact words, but you get my drift). I think it's a "control issue"; plus the fact that most of us are paying out of pocket for these, and want to know ever...single...itty...bitty...thing they're doing; why they're doing it; how long it will take, etc. The adult equivalent of "Are we there yet?" 
You sound like you already have a positive attitude about all this and let me tell you, that is half the battle taken care of. Just knowing you're taking steps to correct something you've hated for a long time helps a ton, and will carry you through the 24-ish months when your teeth hurt... when you get ulcers inside your mouth from brackets rubbing or wires poking... and especially when you see absolutely NO movement whatsoever. Those with a positive attitude have a much better experience and can "roll with the punches" more so than those who go into this negatively.
Regarding spacers, bite turbos, etc., just remember those things are only temporary. I needed 2 spacers, and I felt no pain whatsoever while they were in (though I did feel some pain as they were trying to shove them between my teeth!) I never needed bite turbos because my overjet was so big, there was no way in HECK they would ever bang into my lower brackets. haha
I'm by no means an expert; I only know what I've experienced over the past year, but you can ask me anything you want and I'll help you as best as I can. I agree this is a wonderful site, and I've "met" some really great, supportive people here!
Welcome to the club!
-Cathy
It goes by quick when you're among friends, doesn't it? By you latest pics, it really looks like you have less than another whole year to go...but I'm no ortho. It's amazing how quickly those elastics change the bite situation when you wear them faithfully. Keep up the great attitude... 
It's nice to be able to read other people's stories and see how they're doing - your braces look great!
for about 2 seconds. He turned right around and told the assistant, “Drop some hooks on the lower 4s, and put a C-chain on the top.” I knew what that meant… more elastic wear! 
So, she stuck the hooks into my Damons (like building Lego blocks), and now I’m back to wearing them on both sides, in an inverted triangle configuration. I’m not in any discomfort yet, but I can tell these things are going to rub like crazy. My gums around the upper elastic-ed area are a bit red and "itchy" right now, so I know somethin's going on there.
