I was organizing the storage room yesterday, which was my old bedroom here at the HQ, and I found my International Star Registry certificate box. I yanked it out of there, tossed it on my bed for me to put away later, and went about my organizing.

I sat down on my bed this morning (which I have been making on a regular basis *gasp*) and actually looked at the certificate. Nana gave it to me in 1987. The date on it says September 1st, 1987, but I don’t think she gave it to me on my birthday. Anyway, I read the paper for the first time in my life and realized what it says.

Know ye herewith that the International Star Registry doth hereby re designate star number Virgo RA 13h 14m 22sd -6* 26* to the name Rebecca Jayne. Know ye further that this star will henceforth be known by this name. This name is permanently filed in The Registry’s vault in Switzerland and recorded in a book which will be registered in the copyright office of the United States of America

All my life I thought she gave me a star (I was 5) but she named it after me. So, of course, I cry a little bit because we were so special to each other and I miss her like crazy. The only people who recognize this star as having a name is the Star Registry but it’s still a cool gift.

Nana was always giving me gifts that were a bit old for me, but now I love them so much. She had great taste and oddly enough, things she gave me when I was little and I’d think “what am I going to do with this?” are totally my style now.

I gave those registry people a call and told them I needed to order a replacement chart (I drew all over the one that came with it and then lost it…because I was 5). She asked me for the date and I told her and I could hear her thinking “Shit,” over the phone. Hehe. Their website goes back to 2002…someone is going to have a big ol fun time looking up a 20 year old star. If they had their business together, that would all be digital, she could ask me for the name and location of the star, zip it off on the laser printer, and take my money. That would be the way bug would run things, anyway.

They’re going to call me back when they can find it, and when I get it, I’ll frame the certificate and the chart then hang them up so I can look at it and remember how much someone loved a little girl named Rebecca Jayne.

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