About a week ago, I saw the neatest little stuffed toy.  They are called "Shining Stars" and are made by Russ.


It's called a Shining Star because you can name a star by buying this bear. And, then you can name the bear.  I though, "Oh, that would be so neat!  Name a star after Reagan and hold onto the bear for Addy!" 

Well, today, my mom brought in that bear.  And, Reagan officially has a star in the Andromeda Galaxy.  Most people probably don't realize that the stars have always been interesting to me.  I'm amazed and scared of all that "might" exist out there.  The stars to me resemble hope and to me Reagan gave us all the greatest blessing.  She gave us all HOPE.  She proved doctors wrong by surviving long enough to be born alive and by being able to be ventilated and to PROVE that she COULD live, even if for a short time.

In college, I had to take a science credit.  And, truthfully, I hated science.  Probably because in high school I took Physics and Chemistry for the advanced people and although I'm great at math, I just couldn't stand the teachers, nor the class and it left a bad taste in my mouth, so to speak.  So, I signed up for Astronomy. And, let me tell you, that was a HARD class!  (especially since I signed up for it and then just days before that semester started, I had a Retinal Detachment and was rushed to New Albany for an emergency eye-sight saving surgery - I'm fortunate to have retained all my vision with the exception of catching my scar in my vision at times - a lot of people go blind from these).  I was seated front and center in the classroom because I could see all of about 3-5ft in front of me.  I had to have someone drive me to campus each day and it took months for my vision to come back completely in my left eye.  It still has it's days.  But, that class always intrigued me.  Even though my grade wasn't well (and I always got good grades), I enjoyed it and thought there was no way someone could just take a semester on Astronomy...you truly need a lifetime.. Just like Reagan.  I keep hoping to immediately find the purpose of her short life, but then I have realized... her purpose will show in small increments over a span of an entire lifetime.  She will continue to touch lives for all our lifetimes and then some. 

So, we named a star in the northern part of the Andromeda Galaxy, Reagan Dawn Burge.  And, the pink teddy is coincidentally named "Reagan."  And, it's Addy's own bear.  It's Addy's Reagan.  Addy's twin sister.  Addy's personal angel in Heaven.

I chose Andromeda because it stands for "Princess" and both my girls are my little princesses, as much as I said I would never say that to them! But, I have.  They are my angels, my princesses, my baby girls, my daughters.  It is also the closest galaxy to ours and in the same form, a spiral galaxy.  That is sentiment in that we have kept Reagan close to us.  We buried her in the closest cemetery, we keep her things in Addy's room close by, we have sentiments of her close to us all the time.  So, keeping her "star" close by meant something.  And, being that it's in a galaxy of the same form, means Reagan is still with us, yet in a special place.  She's in Heaven with her spirit here on Earth.

The little Teddy Bear marks Reagan's personal star.  It has been registered with the National Star Registry.



The next thing we did was choose 5 personality traits about the bear, Reagan.  I chose these and here's why:
Lovable - Because Reagan, even with her anomaly, was loved and had she the chance to show, she would of been one of the most lovable girls you would of known.
Strong - Because there is no stronger being than one that holds on long enough in utero to protect their sister.  In sense, Reagan gave her life for Addy.  She did what she needed to do to keep Addy safe.  What greater achievement then to put other above yourself.
Lively - Because she LIVED!
Cuddly - Because she was the most cuddled baby girl.  Had we had the chance, we would of held onto her longer.
Stylin' - Because you tell me what baby girl got to ride to the funeral home and then to the cemetery in a RED HUMMER?  That's right, our baby girl, although already in Heaven, got to ride in a hummer from the hospital to the funeral home and then from the funeral home to her final resting place. 

So, Addy's Reagan Bear is hers.  And, here's her certificate to prove it....