Charlotte Miller has not had an easy life. She has survived the loss of two beloved husbands and divorced a third, a difficult task to accomplish at the time. Since her third husband, Bill, died two days ago, Charlotte is in limbo. She has a lot of responsibilities, including their nine children and one on the way. Her step-son has told Charlotte that she and her children are welcome to remain on the family ranch, but she is getting a much different feeling from her daughter in-law. Unwilling to become a slave in her former home, Charlotte packs up her children and leaves for New Eden, Oregon, the town she helped found over twenty years ago. Charlotte knows that hotel living is not what's best for young children. They need fresh air and sunshine. But what are the odds of finding a place large enough for herself and nine children? While Charlotte grapples with these basic problems, she meets two very different men who want to take the place of her late husband. One is the new sheriff, a much younger man, while the other is a free soul who couldn't possibly be serious about a woman with so many children. Charlotte's children are growing up and becoming individuals much too fast for her. A critical rift develops between her two oldest sons, a rift that threatens to destroy their love for each other and even their loyalty to the rest of the family. Charlotte faces all her difficulties head-on, as mothers have done for generations; but is even Charlotte Miller wise enough to overcome all these problems?