Goodbye, Tablecloths.

There are three piles for everything I own:  Ship, Store, Sell/Give.  Okay, there's a fourth pile for things we will take on the airplane, but we're limited to 6 suitcases so that pile had better be pretty small!  And to be perfectly honest, there is a fifth pile for things I hope someone will eventually bring when they visit us in Austria, but three piles in my mind are more manageable than five and if you have a problem with that, you can organize your own international move.

The shippers came before Thanksgiving, so that pile is gone.
Shipping Inventory:
Our two favorite chairs that we bought so we can drink coffee in them when we retire.  We decided, why wait?
Carpet to remind us of Azerbaijan.
Dave's 40th birthday bike.
Emma's bike, her "baby" and most favorite possession of all.
Kitchen things (this was a nearly impossible task for me and I hope I don't hate myself when we get there for the random things I decided to send and the million things I didn't).
Summer clothing and big sweaters.
Books.  We couldn't resist.

Store:
Of course we are storing sentimental keepsakes and the buffet from my parents.  However, we are trying to keep only a few belongings in the US.  More than one missionary have told us that when they return and look through the things they stored, they wonder why they kept so much.  But at the same time, it's hard to know what will be meaningful to my future self.  For instance, I came across these guys:

Meet Charlie (left, mine) and Chester O'Chimp (right, Dave's).  To which pile would you add them?  A friend suggested we bring them to Austria and take their pictures in front of all the sights.  That would be so clever - Monkeys in Austria!

Sell/Give:
For the most part this has been a wonderful experience and I highly recommend it.  We have lived in this house for 13 (!) years.  It has wonderful storage that we have filled.  It feels so good to downsize and simplify our life.  However at times I am surprised by what has been hard to give up.  Early in the process someone asked about my canning supplies.  I caught my breath, surprised by the lump in my throat.  I probably won't be canning spaghetti sauce, dill pickles, salsa and applesauce for quite some time.  Thankful that my friend, Jennifer, will continue to use the tomato and applesauce strainer we've used for years.  We had the process down to a science; after scorching a batch of applesauce one learns these things.  I made friends with farmers like John, who has the most amazing tomato patch ever and would share the bounty of his garden with me in exchange for some salsa and spaghetti sauce.  My sister Juli, fellow canner, has cleared my shelves of all remaining canning supplies and will continue to use them, which brings me great joy.

And then one day those tears came to my eyes again when I came across my tablecloths.  The actual tablecloths hold little meaning for me, but the meals we have shared and the guests who have sat at my table will be missed.  I know we will continue to host guests and make new memories around our new table, but give me a moment to say goodbye to my current tablecloths.  I've loved you, but now it's time to buy new ones in Vienna.  You have served us well.  Thank you and goodbye.  

What would be the hardest possession for you to leave behind?