Natural Valentines
We have an Eastern Redbud tree in our backyard. I didn’t know that’s what it was until I looked it up, but it has the most beautiful heart-shaped leaves. Mikey’s little outdoor table sits right beneath it and one day in the early Fall, I thought they would make the cutest valentines. I unwrapped some crayons for Mikey and let him do the leaf rubbings and then I tucked them away in the Valentine’s Day bin (which has a few heart decorations and any random class valentine cards from years past.
On this day, I outlined the hearts in marker and cut them out so that the natural heart shape would be highlighted. I printed the labels and then Mikey stuck and glued everything together to make the finished product. Easy and personal.
I’ll admit that maybe the quote was overkill, but Mikey had so many kind kids in his class! I was at a stage in which I was truly overwhelmed with gratitude for how beautifully he had been included. Those wonderful little humans did seem like a masterpiece of nature to me!
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About the Author
Erica Mauro is a mom to two teenage boys, Will who is neurotypical and Michael with Autism and cognitive delays. She holds a BA in Psychology from Colgate University and a Masters of Psychology in Education from Columbia Teacher’s College. Before staying home with her children, she worked as an elementary school teacher. For five years, she served on the Board of Directors of the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation, a charity dedicated to enriching the lives of children with special needs. In partnership with her husband Dave, she aspires to parent by using daily life as an opportunity for therapeutic intervention, seizing on real experiences as opportunities to build skills and strategies for Michael in a joyful, loving home environment. On the tougher early days, she just tried to get everyone safely to bedtime and start fresh in the morning. *wink* 
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