? Will You Still Need Me? ?

Laundry hanging on the line

I have waited a long time for this birthday so I could sing that Beatles tune! I have always loved my birthday. That one day of the year where it was all about me. My Grandma celebrated my birthdays with a homemade cake every year. It was always the same…a yellow cake with penuche frosting. (http://www.food.com/recipe/grandmas-penuche-frosting-22376) If you’ve never had it…you must, you must! I could literally sit and eat it with a spoon, warm out of the pan. Divine! We didn’t have that gosh awful icing in a can when I was growing up. Frosting was a handmade confection from handwritten directions that was handed down from generation to generation. I still have Grandma’s “cookbook”…a stenographer’s notepad with her eighth-grade-education scrawl, written with a stubby, hand sharpened pencil, no doubt.

Mr. Virgo made a big deal out of my birthdays because he knew what it meant to me. He would call the girls ahead of time to make sure they remembered and invite them to a restaurant. Like Christmas, he would shower me with gifts that he remembered me saying I liked. He was a generous man. The girls have done a good job remember me on my special day. It may not be on the actual day, but when I get to Colorado next month, we’ll have a gluten free cake. I want a yellow one with penuche frosting this year!

I received a beautiful gift last week…an early birthday present. A friend of mine said, “What you need out here is a good picnic table!” The next visit, I had one! What a kind gesture and a lovely gift! I am so blessed! Birthdays after loss can be sad affairs. I remember that feeling of loneliness and yearning I felt…especially the first couple of years after Mr. Virgo died. Now I make my own birthday celebrations and I make sure I include all those whom I love. I don’t wait for others to remember. People have busy lives. I’ve done that…waiting for others to remember me then being disappointed when they don’t. Not any more. I am quick to let everyone know it’s my special day because I want to celebrate with them! ? When I’m 64! ? ❤️

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭90:12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 

35 thoughts on “? Will You Still Need Me? ?”

  2. Happy Birthday, Ginny. I wish you many more. Enjoy YOUR day. I love the song, I’ll be singing it all day in my mind and….maybe out loud too. I am blessed to read your writings every day. I look forward to it. It is 5am here in SC. Same time, same place every morning I pick up my phone and you are always there. Thank you. Keep up the good writings. Love you lady! Cindy

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  4. Happy birthday! ”Oh happy birthday to you, oh happy birthday to you! May you find Jesus near every day of the year and the best year you’ve ever had! ” I look forward to reading your blog every morning! God bless! MAKE THIS DAY AWESOME!

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  7. Happy birthday, Ginny !
    Enjoy your day and do something fun to celebrate it. Thank you for all the memories,
    they really are treasured memories.
    I need to try this yellow cake with penuche frosting. Sounds delicious…
    God bless ❤️

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  10. Happy Birthday to my Birthday twin. I’m older as I turn 68 today. But I too look so forward to reading your writings everyday. Enjoy your special day as I will too.

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  12. Happy Birthday dear Ginny! You make my morning too every day having my coffee and reading “You”. 🙂 I wish we lived near each other I’d like to celebrate with you. I am going to try the cake with Penuche frosting…sounds delicious. Wish I had my Grandma’s recipes I’d cherish them like you do. Have a blessed day and enjoy the celebration….you have it right….make it yourself instead of feeling sorry for yourself. Love you lady!

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  14. I wish you the happiest of all your birthdays!! And I am definitely going to make Penuche icing!!! It reminds me of the icing for Texas sheet cake…… but enough about that… be blessed and have a glorious day!

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  15. Happy Birthday from a fellow West Virginian! I hope you have a truly wonderful day. When I was young my Mom used to make me a (from scratch of course) Boston cream pie for my birthday. I loved the pudding in the middle and the chocolate fudge icing on top. I so enjoy and look forward to reading your posts every day. Again, Happy Birthday, Ginny!

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  16. Ginny, it’s my birthday tomorrow the 14th and a milestone one, 70 years old. I recently left family behind and moved away to a little beach house on a bay. Life is good at the beach and I’m finding a happy place here. I probably will be alone on my birthday and will celebrate with a nice dinner. I have Jesus so I have everything I need.

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  17. Wishing you blessings on your birthday today and always! God guided me to the Marshmallow Ranch blog at a time when I had lost so much but not by death. Your voice and written words apply to many aspects that an individual could be struggling with. Thank you for coming into my life beautiful lady.

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