Hard to believe, but the 2017-2018 school year at ISL is coming to an end.  It's been a good year, not without its challenges and growing pains, but a good year of learning and growth nevertheless.  I wanted to capture the kids are in their last week of after school activities, Thomas' field trip, and friends.

Savvy has taken pottery on a wheel a few times this year.  She has really enjoyed it and has learned a lot.  We've all benefited from this class as she has given much of her pottery away as gifts!  She enjoyed taking the class with our friend Clark as well.

 This term, Savannah also took fencing!  This was a first, and another class she enjoyed.  The outfits are hot though, so she came home sweaty from the workout.
 It was fun to actually see her in action, keeping her posture and positioning as she was taught.One of Savvy's favorite teachers was Miss Berkman.  She taught math and science and Savannah just loved the way she taught.  She was fun and creative and young, so she related well to the kids.  She will miss her!

Thomas took a computer programming class where he learned about Python and other programs.  Right up his alley!

 I also got to go as a chaperon with Thomas' French class. Madame Ann asked if I would help, so I jumped at it.  I've never been able to go on a field trip with Thomas as there was always a conflict in scheduling.  Thomas has really enjoyed his French class, mostly this second semester, as he has improved a lot.  The first semester was frustrating, as he was a beginner with no prior French, in a class of all experienced French speakers.  He overcame the frustration though with a little extra weekly help from Madame Ann on Tuesdays after school.  He loves the language and wants to continue learning it!  Rhea and Savannah have enjoyed French as well this year.  (Briant and I feel helpless because neither of us has taken any French!)
 After getting a tour of the French Institute in Riga, the students had to video record their play performance of a French script they had been reading.  Thomas' part was helping with the set as well as being part of the chorus of voices when necessary.

 Rhea took a coding class.  This was the first class of its kind for Rhea, so I think she learned a lot.  And she enjoyed the challenge.Rhea also did the after school buddy program, arranged by the school counselor after months of her being a victim of bullying.  She was set up with a buddy from 10th grade who mentored her and was just simply a friend to her, one day a week after school.  Ironically, she ended up spending time with Gundega and her buddy.  A more peaceful ending to the school year...at least the last few weeks or so.  ;)

I also had to wind things down with my English teaching of Daniel and Angela.  I only had about three months, 4 days a week, with them before school got out, but some great improvement.  Mostly because they have such young and capable minds, and they're motivated to learn English!  I gave them certificates and a little gift to give closure to our efforts.

Here they are with their wonderfully supportive mom Sara, who was there for every session, helping to keep them focused and fed with yummy snacks.  I look forward to teaching them again next school year!

 A few weeks before school got out, we had the S and W families over to say goodbye.  Zeke and Carl were two of Thomas' best friends this year.  They were in the grade below him, but they loved a lot of the same things, like soccer.  Also, Zeke's dad Mr. S became Thomas' favorite science teacher.
 The W family, from the embassy.  Sammy, Celeste, Carl, Cece and dad Carl.
 Rhea and Celeste were friends in the same 4th grade class, not without the 4th grade drama, but nevertheless, still friends.  ;)

A few days later, the embassy hosted an end of school barbecue and a farewell party to those leaving.  Here's Thomas and Clark after a few tears were shed for Carl leaving.

The day after school got out, our family left on a three week European road trip.  Because we were buying the W family's trampoline, we decided to move it with their help before we left and before they left Latvia.  It was quite the challenge, but nothing too difficult for our muscles. ;)

Leaving their house:

 Luckily they lived around the corner on the next street over, so we carried it down the road to our street!
 Now at our house, trying to get it around the corner of the house to the backyard.  With all the trees and brush, as well as a rain chain in the way, we had to get creative.

Finally settling in and setting up the net with Carl's help.  Good guy--it would have taken a lot longer for us to try to figure that out!  I anticipate that we'll all say that this was the best $75 we've ever spent for some summer fun!

It's that time of year here in the north countries!  The graphic below shows that now, on May 17th, there is 00:00 hours of night, 2:39 hours & minutes of astronomical twilight, 2:57 hours & minutes of nautical twilight, 1:47 hours and minutes of civil twilight, and 16:37 hours and minutes of daylight.

I got smart, and with all the light coming into our windows, all night literally, I decided to put tin foil up in the windows that aren't covered by blackout curtains, in all of our bedrooms.  It's helping for sure, but it's amazing that light can still creep in and around the corners of the foil and curtains!

With foil and eye patches, we're trying to keep our bodies in its normal rhythms.  I'm especially trying to help the kids who, when they see light coming through their windows, think it's time to get up and play.  We're having conversations like, "Use your watch to know when to get up.  Don't look outside for light to tell you when to wake up because it's light at 2:00am!  It's deceiving..."  There's no doubt that we all sleep more restfully in the winter.  Maybe with time our bodies will adust?  ;)

Another great mother's day, starting with breakfast in bed.  The kids had their own ideas of what they wanted to make me, so I had plenty of food!

They all gave me little gifts, including some construction paper plants that they made in Primary at church.  It was also mother's day here in Latvia, so all of the women were given a rose.

A nice day of feeling loved.  :)

Every year, a major event of the international schools is International Day.  We plan and work for weeks on food and some type of program.  The music program arranged musical numbers for each grade to perform, and then every country that is represented at the school had a table of food, drinks, and/or other paraphernalia that represents their culture and traditions.

At our American table, everyone pitched in to make chili, corn bread muffins, and cookies.  We thought that food represented us pretty well and was easier than doing a bunch of hot dogs. ;)

It of course was fun to try foods from other countries--yummy!
Our American-Armenian friends, Avo and Kendra, stepped in to help the Armenia table since they were few in number. Greece

The Lee family helped with a Korean table.

Zenta, a 3rd grade assistant, was so excited that she won one of the raffle prizes.

Rhea and friend/classmate Andrew in his Scout uniform.

 Thomas and Savannah both performed in band numbers.
 It was fun to watch my own kids perform, as well as all the cute kids that I got to work with as a substitute!  I enjoyed the opportunity that I had to sub, mostly in the elementary school.

1st grade 

 2nd grade
 Special dance number with Rhea's friend Sandra performing.
 4th grade, Rhea's class.

All elementary:

Mr. and Mrs. Martin were our amazing band and theater performance teachers this year, and Mr. Ben was a substitute music teacher until he was needed on a full-time basis the last few months.  He did a great job as did the others!  We are all so grateful for the wonderful staff members of ISL!

Savannah and friend Zara.