The film opens with Callie Cain (Parker) leading her kids in singing along to John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" as she moves back to her hometown of Estherville, Iowa with her 4 young daughters (plus another baby on the way) and boyfriend Ray Jacobs (Hodges).
As a result, the family soon finds themselves living in poverty, with oldest child Jessi (Randall) forced to play mother to her younger sisters (Julie, Susan, and Cindy) and brother.
After initially attempting to avoid her, Callie agrees to undergo treatment for her disorder, on the condition that John and Wanda don't get custody of her children, who are instead taken in by Patty and Harlan Pepper (Struthers and Johnston).
Nor is there an alternate workable plan, as the current foster placement is only short-term; Harlan and Patty have split, and the kids blame their Uncle John for having them removed.
Eventually finding Callie in the backseat of his truck, John makes a heartfelt plea for his sister to resume treatment, promising to care for her kids as if they were his own, and she finally agrees to do so.