Chairman’s Message

I love this time of year. Outside, the air is cool and fresh; inside, the house filled with the smells of turkey and tamales, pumpkin bread and chocolate chip cookies. This time of year, I turn away from all the news channels depicting worldly struggles and play Christmas music instead. Truth be told, I’m humming Christmas carols until Valentine’s Day! During this period, I feel like a young man again, no pain, no frowns, no worries. The music inside me builds and builds until it reaches a crescendo—Christmas Day! At our house, Christmas is celebrated with a happy birthday song to Baby Jesus. The house erupts in joy, laughter, love, and beautiful memories of those who are no longer with us. I see my mother in her cashmere berets and colorful scarves, her laugh reverberating through the house as she makes “the best French fries in seven counties!” I see my father sitting at the head of the table, the twinkle in his eyes now passed on to each of my three granddaughters. I see my father-in-law, his baritone voice booming as he hands out Christmas gifts to the legions of eagerly waiting grandchildren. And so many others, their spirits so alive this time of year. Last year at this time, both of my daughters were pregnant. Mary and I kept saying, “By this time next year, we’ll have two new babies in the house!” We wondered what they would be like—it seemed so far away. Now here we are, with three granddaughters: Charlie, the first, with ringlet curls and my dad’s twinkling eyes, who takes us by the hand and pulls us to “her room” (formerly known as the gym), where we sit and play for hours on end. Joey, the second, content to be passed from arm to loving arm, quietly observing everything around her just the way her mother used to. Tessa, the third, with her contagious smile and furious kicking little legs, who will no doubt have us chasing after her in no time. And now we wonder what this time of year—what any time of year—was like without them. I wish you all a very glorious Christmas season and a wonderfully blessed 2019. We are extremely THANKFUL for your continued support of our Falcon family.

- Adolfo E. Gutierrez