“Fat, lots of kids, interesting life, sense of humor.” This is how Susan Tom of Fairfield, California, self-deprecatingly describes herself. Large of heart and deeply pragmatic better describes this mother of eleven adopted special-needs children. Two of her adolescent girls have no legs, one child has severe disfiguring burns, another will one day die of his crippling skin disease; all are bright, articulate kids whose variously outgoing or sensitive natures are nurtured in the bustle of family life. The psychologically astute Susan encourages fantasy, but this is no fairy tale; Jonathan Karsh's film follows the Tom family through what turns out to be a tumultuous year as 15-year-old Joe, who has both cystic fibrosis and bipolar disorder, reaches a crisis stage that threatens the stability of the family. Visually compelling, emotionally complex, this remarkable film won the audience and director prizes for documentary at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival.