Compliments and My New Friend

Most Fat Girls have received the backhanded compliments.  You know which ones I mean.  Like when my grandfather's second wife told me how pretty I would be...if I just lost weight.  Yes, I know.  If only.

Now, others are starting to see the weight loss and I'm receiving new compliments.  "You're looking great!"  I'm still struggling with how to respond to these compliments.  I've been very honest about my surgery at work.  By and large, I'm an honest person.  I can't lie therefore, I've stopped trying.  Everyone has been supportive.  Most of them shared their brother's sister's friend's success story with me.  Now, I'm trying to figure out how to respond to compliments.  Generally, I just say "thank you."  But thank you doesn't seem like enough.  I've been very lucky with my weight loss surgery journey so far (insert obligatory knock on wood here).  It has by no means been easy, but it's been so worth it.  

So yesterday in the workroom when a colleague says, "You're already a pretty girl.  You're getting prettier every day."  I didn't quite know how to respond.  Between my colleagues and my kids, though I can't see the change myself I know it's happening.  Other people are seeing it.

Who's my new friend?  Why, the scale, of course.  I'm doing better at weighing myself once a week.  It seems to be cutting down on my neurotic-ness.  Yes, that's a word.  According to my new friend, Scooby Scale, as of this morning I've lost 108 pounds since I started this process.  68 pounds since surgery.  I suppose I need to head over to my 31 before 31 list and mark off another item.  

That's not even the best part.  If I lose 20 more pounds, I'll weigh less than SS.   THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE!  Now, in all fairness, SS has lost 38 pounds since my surgery.  He's doing great, but I love competition and I'm so gonna pass him soon.  Make something a competition that I feel I can win and I am gonna do anything I can to win.  I've already stolen several articles of his clothing.  I feel like a real girl.  "I'm a real boy!"  Well, you know what I mean...