Cecilia's dad George Smith tells Eric that he and his wife Gwen are looking for a foster-son, about 10 years old, to fill the now empty-feeling home, with the hope of adopting. The enthusiastic reverend immediately thinks of orphanage boy Danny Davies, who proves charming and eager. Danny expects to that his sisters will be adopted too. It's only fair that Eric helps put that straight, which proves even more complicated then it sounds. Carlos tells Matt he's leaving New York for his dad's firm in Puerto Rico because 'mother' Mary makes no marital effort at all, having cheerfully signed over custody of baby Charlie. The twins are sad that Martin, and in time all their siblings seem to leave, even Lucy now. Kevin presses her to finally choose a house, then concludes the mother is the one who pushes fledglings out of the nest. Simon's girlfriend Rose wants to dump him unless he gives a good reason why they still don't have sex. Vincent pushes Martin to help him break up with Ruthie, in case he meets a girl while on vacation with his grandparents on Hawaii.

Eric hides Mary's divorce from Annie, and Simon's romance heats up. While the Smiths brace for a custody battle over the Davis kids, Simon arrives home for an overnight visit with his girlfriend Rose (Sarah Thompson), whom Annie finds "condescending and rude." Annie's intuition tells her Rose is pushing Simon for marriage, and that something's up with Mary and Carlos. Although Eric knows Mary has filed for divorce, he avoids sharing that information with Annie just yet. Since Vincent doesn't have the guts to break up with Ruthie, Martin takes it upon himself to reveal the truth. Lucy is surprised by Annie's erroneous assumption that Carlos and Mary are still together. Meanwhile, Simon hears from Kevin that Rose had led Annie to believe they're engaged. When Simon confronts Rose, he reiterates that, even if they discussed the possibility of marriage, he didn't actually propose. Visibly upset, Rose walks off. The Davis kids are stunned to learn their mom is refusing to relinquish custody. As much as they want to be adopted by the Smiths, the children fear that if they testify against their mother in family court, she'll wind up turning to drugs and alcohol. That's not a risk they're willing to take. Later, Ruthie asks Vincent to never call her again, and Rose asks Simon what he wants from their relationship. To Kevin's delight, Lucy puts an offer on a fixer-upper house next door! The Smiths and Davises reach a compromise: George and his wife won't push for adoption, but Mrs. Davis will allow them to become the kids' foster parents. Minutes after Eric shocks Annie with the news of Mary's divorce, Simon and Rose announce they intend to get engaged "in the near future." That evening, the Camdens join Martin as he welcomes his father home from Iraq. .. _

Eric tries to avoid telling his parents about Mary's divorce. Simon's fiancee wants him to move up the wedding date. Lucy learns the difficulties of being an associate pastor.

After a scary arrest which could have gone fatally wrong, Kevin decides to leave the police before someone gets hurts as he can no longer concentrate on anything but his young family. Ruthie brings over Meredith and her presumed boyfriend Jack, who proves a natural with babies and a nice senior - too old, so - and is on to her plan; Meredith actually is more interested in the other good boy, Tyler, who agrees with a demure kiss to date. The colonel arrives, winking to Martin about his Iraq veteran dad's gardening job and to Eric's surprise already knows about Charlie - even got and believes Mary's version that Carlos cheated on her, but Carlos explains she just 'caught' him dining with Cecily, the nanny he had to hire because Mary was never home. Simon first scolds, then consoles his ex Sandy for having seduced and made a baby with Martin. Eric spoils the twins fun playing cowboys with granddad because he bans all gun toys and is told to bother about real problems. Lou Dalton tells Eric most parishioners want Lucy fired as his associate pastor.

Rosie moves in with Simon and remodels his studio, while keeping her apartment as a front, but that proves unpractical. Simon insists on telling their parents they'll get married, but after graduation. When Simon announces that he is going to come and bring bad news, dad and Lucy falsely 'hope' it's their break-up. They disagree on what to offer single women, except a 'church social', which Martin accepts and brings Meredith as their first date. Kevin eagerly accepts Joanie's invitation to her 'mom and I' class, where the sensitive hunk is an instant hit. The parents disagree whether to forbid Ruthie going out with 'too mature' Jack, so she gets Martin to set her up with honor student Sam Walker.

Simon bursts his startled parents' malicious bubble: he's not dumping Rose, she moved in. When Simon accepts 'too easily' to give Rosie her marching orders -which she ignores- as they pay for the apartment, they hoped he wanted an excuse to break up and be with Sandy, who they prefer, this time partially true. The twins announce they have each found true love. Ruthie tries to get rid of Sam Walker, but neither Eric nor Martin agree to do her dirty work. After church teenagers class girl Lizzie Wheeler admits an unwanted pregnancy, Lucy doubts her decision to stay in pastoral work and envies Kevin's obviously excellent home parenting, then Lizzie changes her story. Rosie sets an ultimatum. Martin tells Lucy he'll become a father.

Kevin was happy to perform at a kids party in a Riverton rat costume, but when Mat hears Lucy is visiting Simon, prods him along to spy and soon finds Eric is doing the same, alas equally clumsily. Rose knew Lucy came for Sandy, so Martin's secret gets spread. Meredith gets Ruthie to find out if Martin disconnects his cellphone because he has another, while he is considering his options whether to play baseball full time in his senior year semester as he already has enough credited courses.

After Sandy has Braxton-Hicks contractions, she admits that a miscarriage would simplify her life, but Simon's fear that the truth is about to come out seems ever more warranted. Kevin and Eric worry as Lucy keeps insisting that nobody else should meddle with her 'client' Sandy. They must tell her who has already found out and Kevin must physically stop her from assaulting Sandy's alcoholic dad, Edward Jameson. Eric fears that George Smith is about to find out too. Ruthie lies about her new date being 16 as Martin says his team's huge shortstop Brian is 18.

Ruthie tackles a new project and Martin confronts his father. Sandy's estranged dad Ed stops by church with $3,000 he wants Lucy to give to his daughter. Angry with Simon for buying Rose's diamond ring, Eric refuses to loan him $100 to pay his phone bill. Ruthie announces she's collecting Campbell's soup labels to raise funds to buy a computer for the school newspaper. Knowing Martin dreams of joining a minor league baseball team after graduation, Meredith promises to wait for him until they're both ready to settle down. To aid Ruthie's cause, all the Camdens start eating lots of soup. Simon tries hitting up Matt and Kevin for money, but they decline. Ruthie tells Annie she hopes to date Jack, an 18-year-old "hottie" from school. During a conversation about Ed's unexpected gift, Sandy surprises Lucy by saying she once slept with Simon. Fortunately, Sandy assures Lucy that the baby she's carrying is Martin's child. While Martin tries to summon up the courage to discuss Sandy's pregnancy with his father Bill, Ruthie is thrilled when Jack confesses he'd like to date her, once her parents allow it. Later, Martin asks Eric to help him break the bad news to Bill. Although Bill claims everything will be okay, Martin disagrees, stating, "My life is over!" before walking out. Both Bill and Eric wonder how Meredith and Ruthie will react when they find out about Sandy. The next day, Ed, an admitted alcoholic, returns to church. He's just lost his job and wants his money back. Lucy lies, saying she's already wired the funds to Sandy. Eric vows they'll support Ed...if he goes into rehab. Over at school, Kevin urges Martin to come clean about Sandy with Meredith and Ruthie. When Simon reveals his sister Mary lent him $100 to pay his phone bill, Eric hangs up on him. .. _

The mixed joys of fatherhood way heavy. While Annie tends to the flu patients, Eric feels no better after learning that the haughty Colonel sired him before marriage. Martin's dad needs all his paternal love and self-control to patiently push the boy to step up to his upcoming paternity. Sandy's parents tell the Reverends to butt out, then refuse any responsibility for Sandy and disown her. Martin discovers an excellent reason that Ruthie shouldn't date Jack.

Ruthie becomes the subject of a shocking rumor.

While Eric sneakily prowls for pie, Ruthie tells off Jack, who indignantly rebukes Martin's insinuations as just that, and even gets his and Eric's apologies. While Simon can finally just rest, Rose stresses that he shouldn't find out her dad's fourth marriage is breaking up like her mother's third, which is why he's selling his house, which she's hoping to get for herself and Simon. Kevin says Martin needs a good beating, if not from his father than from him, but both basically-good boys feel relieved after rolling around in the grass letting off steam by fisticuffs.

Kevin makes a fine Father Christmas and knows the ideal gift: a dog, but Lucy insists to wait till after the holidays, then sneakily goes to the asylum herself, only to find their tastes in canines differ greatly. Heathen Rose has no clue what Christmas has to do with Nativity, so she 'tests' the twins, but in the process makes them doubt if either Santa or Jesus really exist. Sandy isn't keen either to participate in the parish's nativity scene. In the end, things work out as by Christmas magic.

When Ruthie's new black classmate Alex insists on doing his 'Famous Americans' report on his idol Martin Luther King and no other, although his day was the week before, baseball teammate Martin Brewer's innocent remark that it's not worth risking his sports career for has absurd consequences, as if he, not the teacher, changed the assignment to reports on 'African-Americans' only, which annoys everybody who already wrote on classics which return every year. Someone is so pissed off that Martin's car gets vandalized with racist language, which the model of fairness refuses on principle to clean up a coward's mess. Kevin gets his former colleague Phil, now the officer in charge of hate crimes, on the case, while emotions run high throughout Glenoak.

Martin refuses to drop baseball training to go to Sandy who is giving birth, although Eric begs him; Martin also gets a full-scholarship offer from nearby Sequoia College. Kevin patiently convinces Lucy that his 'husband at home' dreams squares ideally with a second-child wish. Martin finally visits his newborn son in the hospital, where both grandfathers commit to help each other and their offspring.

Martin is finally making an effort to be there for Sandy and their baby, and Ruthie is having a hard time getting over him. Ruthie and new friend Maggie must both sit in detention after school. The detention monitor, music teacher Mr. Feinstein, manages to get the students' attention by giving them new insights on music and its relation to history. He also plays Gershwin songs on the piano, which soothes Ruthie's heartache.

Eric welcomes Kevin's invitation for a Valentine's dinner with the whole family at the anniversary and in the restaurant of his proposal to Lucy, doubling as the twins birthday party. After all, Annie made a drama about the twins wanting a store birthday cake, not her traditional home-made ones, and Sam being by little Rachel without soon jealous David spells trouble between both them and their parents, as Eric wants to let them decide what to do together and tries to compensate by taking just David for ice-cream during Sam's play-date. Ruthie keeps dreaming about Martin dropping Sandy, the baby and college for her, yet finds some solace in a daily 'job' Eric got for her, helping old Ms. Rusnak to get used to a new bike, or rather for the company. As if his parents weren't unhappy enough about bride Rose, she even refuses Simon to get married in Eric's church. Lucy manages to embarrass herself in a daring dress at the restaurant, but nobody else enjoys dinner anyhow.

Lucy's life gets more complicated personally and professionally when she begins to feel the presence of her late Grandma Jenny visiting her and warning her of the challenges that are coming in her life. Meanwhile, Annie and Ruthie decide to take a day off together to unwind. Rose is angry with Simon for neglecting to tell her that he slept with Sandy. Lastly, Eric unintentionally shakes things up between Rose and Simon.

Simon isn't amused that Rose pulls all the stops out hosting a luxurious dinner to impress her Italian ex, Umberto 'Bert' Lanzo, who left her at the altar. He jests about wanting her back, or is he serious - and who is the mystery girl Simon agrees to talk to immediately but covertly? The Camden parents, are not amused that Ruthie's long-awaited cellphone does nothing for her social life. Eric urges the boys to call her, helped by unwilling Peter Petrowski's dad George 'Vic' Vickery and Kevin. Benjamin Bainsworth, meanwhile, finds her number and works up the courage to call after a year.

Annie loathes receiving an invitation to Simon's 'disaster' wedding to Rose in May, until she realizes that's the same day as Matt and Sarah's med-school graduation. Neither group will even consider another date, arguing that the other event is less important or troublesome. Ruthie considers taking a summer poetry course in Scotland to be with her ex Peter, but Eric won't pay and the phone-bill hits hard. Kevin plants the romantic idea of eloping. Rose's jealous ex Bert grills Simon about his mystery girlfriend and questions his commitment; Annie finds out and teams up with Bert, who talks Rose out of eloping as the Camdens would ruin this by attending. Yet the changes of plans and the truths that turn up inspire surprising changes of heart.

Sam and David discover that everyone is more likely to share their deep secrets--Eric, Lucy, Annie, everyone but Ruthie--although she nearly spills the beans about Matt while having cookies with Annie.

The cookies-and-milk 'truth serum' brings out the truth about Kevin's generous offer to pay for Simon's ring, and he and Rose 'call off' the wedding, but Simon insists that he keep working to pay off 'his' debt; meanwhile; Eric blurts to the twins that he replaced the expensive ring Annie gave him after losing it years before, and Kevin loses his and desperately tries to find it before Lucy does; Annie gets angry enough to curse Mr. Riley, who owns the building she wants for her teen-mothers' center, with warped results.

The wedding preparations inspire Eric and Annie to reminisce about their children's childhoods; Rose tells Simon she's late and he prays as passionately to make the right decision about starting a family as he once prayed to get a dog; Simon is disappointed that hardly anybody wants to attend his wedding and Rose somehow blames Umberto and keeps his doubts alive while her divorced parents, between blaming each other for everything (as usual), fear it's a "shotgun wedding"; at the rehearsal dinner, Ruthie meets charming teenage waiter Paul from Edinburgh.

Annie and Eric are delighted with Matt and Sarah's surprise visit in time for Simon's wedding--and not just because they announce they're expecting. Simon is relieved that he and Rose aren't expecting, therefore marrying purely for love; but the next minute he gets cold feet, at which Lucy eagerly pokes. More visitors, like Matt's one-time bride-to-be Heather, stir further reminiscing and speculations; Rose's ex Umberto even asks Eric's permission to sabotage the wedding. The big day is full of surprises, including from Matt and Carlos.

Annie loathes receiving an invitation to Simon's 'disaster' wedding to Rose in May, until she realizes that's the same day as Matt and Sarah's med-school graduation. Neither group will even consider another date, arguing that the other event is less important or troublesome. Ruthie considers taking a summer poetry course in Scotland to be with her ex Peter, but Eric won't pay and the phone-bill hits hard. Kevin plants the romantic idea of eloping. Rose's jealous ex Bert grills Simon about his mystery girlfriend and questions his commitment; Annie finds out and teams up with Bert, who talks Rose out of eloping as the Camdens would ruin this by attending. Yet the changes of plans and the truths that turn up inspire surprising changes of heart.