May 12th, 2025

read at isaacjfrench.com​

read time 1 minute

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tribute to my mom

In light of Mother’s Day, I want to devote today’s short newsletter to my mom—Lisa Ann French.

Most of you don’t know her, but her quiet, selfless example of love, care, and devotion over the last thirty-five years of motherhood has shaped everything I am.

What a journey its been…

She brought ten of us into the world (8 boys, 2 girls)—all born at home. Then, alongside my dad, she homeschooled us the whole way, K-12. An unending supply of grit, grace, and patience.

Now, as a young parent myself, I’m in awe.

Growing up, our home was always open. We often hosted strangers who needed a place to stay. It wasn’t curated hospitality—it was the human kind. That openness shaped our family culture, our education, and our daily rhythms.

We were never “rich.” I spent my first sixteen years of life in mobile homes and a crudely finished-out barn, but our home was always beautiful. A sanctuary of love and belonging. And my mom is the reason why.

She’s a homemaker and gardener extraordinaire.

Just last year, with fourteen grandkids and counting, my parents finally built their “dream” home where everyone can come together for weekly meals and celebrations. It’s a blend of English-Tudor-Craftsman-Mountain-West, with an incredible greenhouse and garden. I’ll share more about it sometime—it’s highly tasteful.

Her love showed up in warm meals, washed clothes, made beds, and so many thoughtful touches—often unnoticed, always felt.

The best hospitality carries that same spirit. Not flashy. Deeply human.

She never just taught us facts or fed mouths—she nourished our souls. Together, my parents cultivated an ecosystem of belonging, curiosity, creativity, and care. And looking back at all the years I lived at my parents’ home, I see more clearly than ever that hospitality isn’t a curated moment—it’s a way of life. A way of saying: you matter, this matters, and everyday things can be beautiful.

Thank you, Mommy. I love and honor you. May this season of your life be full of joy.

And to all the amazing moms reading this—I have such deep respect for what you do.

Lastly, to my Helen—you are the mother of my dreams to our two precious boys. I love you, and thank God for you.

—Isaac

P.S. If you want to see more of my mom’s crafts and garden, here’s her Instagram page.​

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