This past year at Lemon Cake reminded us of something simple but powerful: connection changes everything.

What began as a shared language for parents navigating disability, medical complexity, and caregiving has grown into a deeply relational community, one rooted in honesty, presence, and the belief that joy and sorrow are allowed to exist side by side.

As we reflect on the year behind us and look toward what’s ahead, one thing is clear: this work matters because people matter.

What We Accomplished Together This Year

This year, Lemon Cake moved beyond screens and into real rooms.

We shared stories that named the invisible weight caregivers carry, grief, uncertainty, vigilance and so much more without rushing anyone toward resolution. We created space for truth, faith, humor, and rest.

We gathered with parents who needed understanding more than advice and we hosted conversations that turned into real friendships.

We wrote our first book, launched our website and had the honor of bringing the Lemon Cake message into meaningful spaces across the country.

Our first book! Grab the E-book version in our **shop**.

Speaking Engagements & Retreats

This year, we spoke at events where caregivers were already carrying so much and we watched something shift when they realized they weren’t alone.

Rise Conference – sharing the Lemon Cake message of resilience, joy, and honesty with a wider caregiver audience.
Pompe Family Retreat – speaking directly to families navigating a shared diagnosis, where depth, empathy, and lived experience mattered deeply.

These rooms reminded us why showing up, especially in person, matters. We experienced the realest hugs on Earth and gave them back freely.

Conversations That Traveled Farther Than We Ever Could

*Check out this episode on Minimalist Moms Podcast or any others linked below.*

This year, Lemon Cake stories reached far beyond our own community through thoughtful podcast conversations that allowed space for nuance, faith, and lived experience.

We had the privilege of being guests on:

Once Upon a Gene – a trusted space for parents of children with disabilities hosted by the one and only Effie Parks! It was truly an honor to share how a spontaneous Instagram Live turned into a lifeline for parents of medically complex kids. We laughed with Effie as we unpacked “garage-floor” prayers, self-care hacks and ate up wisdom from Effie too.
Minimalist Moms – exploring simplicity, caregiving, and intentional living with Diane Boden. Diane has been a beautiful friend and voice of strength and encouragement for us from day one. This was a truly heartfelt episode focused on finding hope I the darkness and our passion to help other mothers find it too.
Overcome the Overwhelm – honest conversations around motherhood and resilience with Lauren Lowery. In this episode we talked about everything from rude comments from strangers, missing milestones, and learning how to see this life in a whole new light. Lauren’s life is dedicated to bringing out the best in people and this episode did just that.
The Unexpected Life – faith-forward dialogue grounded in real life with Carrie Holt. Gosh we could gain wisdom from Carrie all day long. If you’re looking for a faith filled version of our story, this is it!

Each conversation reinforced the same truth: when caregivers tell the truth about their lives, it creates permission for others to do the same.

The Power of Community

*The incredible women that attended our very first Cake Pop Meet Up!*

What stood out most this year wasn’t a single event or milestone.

It was the people.

The messages that said, “I thought I was the only one.”
The conversations that continued long after events ended.
The quiet, faithful presence of a community that shows up without trying to fix.

Lemon Cake isn’t about solving life with disability or medical complexity.
It’s about belonging in it.

And that belonging is what keeps this community growing.

Looking Ahead: A Forecast for 2026

As we look ahead, our vision is clear and intentional.

In the coming year, we’re focusing on:

More coffee meetups and in-person gatherings
More community events centered on conversation and connection
More speaking engagements that bring hope into hard spaces
More collaborations with people doing meaningful, heart-forward work
More opportunities for caregivers to feel known, supported, and encouraged

We’re not chasing bigger just to grow.
We’re choosing deeper.

Join Us: Coffee + Community on January 17 ☕️

If you’ve been looking for a place to connect in real life, this is your invitation.

📍 Lemon Cake Coffee Meetup
🗓 January 17
⏰ 10:00 AM
📍 Ethos & Co.

Come as you are. No pressure. There will be good coffee and meaningful conversation with people who get it.

We’ll be adding a new element to our coffee meetups this year: one hour of fellowship, followed by one hour of intentional growth.

The first hour will be exactly what you’ve come to expect—coffee in hand, real conversation, space to exhale, laugh, and be understood without explanation. No fixing. No pressure. Just community.

The second hour will be a fun, guided workshop rooted in our Joy in the Journey message. This isn’t a lecture or a performance. It’s a space to reflect, name what’s hard, and begin reframing our stories with honesty, faith, and hope. We’ll share practical tools and language you can carry back into real life—into hospital rooms, long days, and quiet moments at home.

These in person gatherings are free to attend. We will have a limited number of printed copies of our book available at each meetup for those who would like one, and the ebook version is always available in our shop for anyone who prefers a digital copy. Grab that here.

Our heart is simple: to create room for both connection and growth. To sit together in the reality of our journeys, and then take one intentional step forward—together.

Whether you’re new to Lemon Cake or have been here from the beginning, there’s a seat for you at the table.

Because when life hands you lemons, we don’t rush the hard.
We don’t pretend it’s easy.
We make lemon cake—together.

XOXO - The Lemon Cake Girls

One Year of Lemon Cake: Community, Connection and What’s Ahead.