impossible questions

I'm not usually someone short for words. I like questions. Most of the time, I can take a stab at an answer and even though it'll rarely be more than a personal opinion, I like the challenge. But consistently, there is one person that stumps me all the time and leaves me wondering what to say.

My 5 year old son Jordan.

Yesterday, he asked me what 'balls' do. Now i was really hoping he was referring to basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls etc. but that wasn't his question. It was the one every boy asks at one point or another.

I hmmed and hawwed about it for a bit. Kathleen, my nurse wife, was right there but didn't pipe in with her nursey mom wisdom. She just looked at me and waited - probably laughing inside. After what in my mind seemed like an eternity - but was probably a couple seconds - I started my answer.

They are what God gave us to make babies. Great answer right? I thought so. But before I could pat myself on the back, "No dad. Babies come from mommies tummies." Crap. Then my politician instincts kicked in. I talked around it for a while. Got technical without really saying anything. And after about 3 minutes of this, he looks up at me again no longer with a questioning look on his face. I'm proud of the job I've done as a dad explaining this to a 5 yr old.

How does he thank me? By saying "Wow. My hands are wrinkly."

Thank God for kids. They remind me not to take things too seriously.