The Sunday Before Christmas | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: Please join me in welcoming Author Michele Rhem, who presents us with her poignant memoirs of the Rabbit Patch, where her diaries weave tales of a simpler, expressive life lost to many, but gathered together in her most familiar environs - the Rabbit Patch.

    I woke up this Sunday before Christmas, in Elizabeth City. I am usually the first one to wake, no matter, the roof I am under, and today was no different. I did not stir the first few minutes as "visions of sugar plums" were still in my head. It may as well have been Christmas morning, a long time ago. I woke from sleep under the same roof that Tres and Jenny slept beneath-and I do not know why it made such a difference, but it did. I did not want to break that beautiful spell. If reindeer had been grazing in the yard, it would have seemed quite ordinary-this Sunday before Christmas.

    I did rouse, for coffee. I needed to consider breakfast and went to the porch, to do so. Outside, it was April. Christmas lights lit the street and blackbirds were flying-otherwise, I could have declared it was early spring and so I warned the willow, not to be fooled.

    Kelsey joined me first. Kelsey is a sweet soul, who helps tremendously, in quiet ways. She tends to tie loose strings, neatly and does not need a bit of fanfare for it. Every family would benefit from having someone like Kelsey to claim as their own.

    Jenny came downstairs with Lyla next. Lyla wakes up sweet and mild . She says "good morning" with smiles and gentle hugs . Jenny made more coffee and planned the breakfast. Jenny is a capable young woman and a good homemaker, which to me is noble. She and Will had gone to a sophisticated Christmas party, the night before. I watched her get ready while she gave me details about Lylas' supper and which pajamas she would wear. Kelsey gave Jenny a fancy hairdoo and helped her to decide what to wear. It did not seem too long ago that Jenny had asked Santa Clause for fried chicken and diamond earrings. I "pondered these things in my heart" as all mothers do.

    When the house smelled like bacon, Will and Tres got up. The atmosphere was lively and happy. I was "having a wonderful life" in that kitchen, this Sunday before Christmas-and it seemed to me that before I open the first gift of this Christmas, I can say with certainty, I already have everything, I have ever wanted.