From my cousin Sarah

My memorial to the beautiful Livi Living hundreds of miles away from Livi meant that I did not get to enjoy nearly as much time with her as many of you who have been touched by her story. In her short life, I have seen Livi only a handful of times and I was never truly privileged to have entered her circle of trust. From what little time I did have with Livi, I remember two things the most. The first thing was that this child was so smart and determined. I remember the last time I saw her (in Indiana, a few weeks before her transplant) she had gotten a new doctor kit and performed exams on her animals again and again, each time making sure to go through all of the steps in the appropriate order. Livi always seemed so in tune with things, so perceptive, so impressive. I have the best polaroid from that day, of her standing by the couch in Gigi and Pa's living room... it's special to me because it has a big yellow blob in the middle from Livi bending while waiting for it to develop. The other thing I remember most about Livi was that she had this power to make everyone fall for her. Livi was the youngest guest at my wedding last summer and when we got the pictures back there were at least a half dozen of her. The photographer and everyone else there could not keep their eyes off of this adorable girl in her little white dress. Though Livi was never quick to open herself up to just anyone, everyone wanted to be near her. Emily's blog and how far it reached is proof that Livi was truly someone special. Livi had the power to change all of our lives in little ways. I didn't get to spend much time with Livi, but her passing made me realize just how important family is and how proud I am to be an Allen, my family is amazing. I was and still am amazed by the strength and courage that Emily and James and my entire family has shown. Having Emily as the oldest of our generation of Allens made her a role model for me my entire life and seeing her grow to become such a loving, giving, and strong mom and woman has only made me look up to her more. Seeing the love that Emily and James will always have for Livi makes me certain that I want to be a mom some day, especially knowing that I have Emily as a role model to look to. The ladybug that is now tattooed on my wrist will not only remind me of sweet Livi every single day, it also serves as a reminder that life is really too short to dwell on the small things that go wrong throughout my days and that it is really important to try and enjoy every moment in my life. I only got to know "the cutest girl around" a little bit, but she touched me every day of her life and will continue to affect me for the rest of mine. Love,Cousin Sarah