The day I had a rubber duck thrown at my head (#31DaysofMemories)

Growing up my mom had this thing with making sure we got our pictures taken every year. It was my least favorite thing to do. I just hated having my picture taken. I hated it so much I would often end up crying or pitching a fit (yes, even as a high schooler. Pathetic, I know). Seriously. Ask her.

But when we moved to Iowa, we became friends with the manager of the Sears Portrait Studio. We would always request her and she never failed to make it a more enjoyable experience. My senior year we had her shoot my senior photos and while we were at the studio my mom asked if she was hiring at all. She was asking for me because I was planning to stay home a year to work before going to college and was looking for somewhere to work in the mornings before going to the Vee to work in the evenings. To our surprise, the manager said yes and handed me an application. Within a week or two I was hired and being trained as a part-time photographer.

Now, I was still pretty shy and not entirely confident of my ability to learn the photography business. But thankfully my manager (who soon became a dear friend of mine) took me under her wing and walked me through the training and never pushed me too hard as I was learning. I spent a little over a year working at the studio and still remember the fun I had with my co-workers and some of our regular customers. But there is one work day that sticks out in my memories more than most and still makes my friend and I laugh when we get together for lunch or coffee.

With the studio, we had certain steps we go through in order to complete a shoot. We had certain poses, certain backgrounds, certain tactics to get a smile. Well, one day I had a lady bring her young child in and the child wanted nothing to do with me or my camera. It was incredibly difficult to work through my 6 poses and I had no idea what to do. Then you add a mom into the mix who wouldn't let me do my job and made it my fault that her child wouldn't sit and smile. I was on the verge of tears.

I left the room to ask my manager to help me out and so we both went back in and she tried. The mom then got more irritated and started swearing at us and throwing things. My manager took the rubber duck and shot 6 photos and told the mom she could pick from those or re-schedule. The mom then took the duck and literally threw it at us. It just missed my head. Among the curse-words the mom was saying and the screams from the child, my manager said the shoot was over and they needed to leave.

I made my way to our "break-room" which was really only a closet and proceeded to sink to the floor in tears. My manager came in and just held me for a few minutes while I composed myself and apologized. She reminded me that I did my best and that it wasn't my fault. She gave me some time to calm down and then helped me with the next appointment. I got through my shift and headed home.

That day really made me question why I was working there. But then I remembered some of my good days and the joy it always brought to me to see a mom light up with the pictures of her kids or the joy I had when I got to shoot an engagement session for a man in the service before he shipped out. And then I remembered the joy and laughter I always had when I was hanging out with my manager and the other girls. And it was all worth it.

I am still really good friends with my manager (although she doesn't work there and the studio is now closed). She always speaks truth and encouragement into my life. She is seriously one of the sweetest, most caring women I've ever met. She even still shoots our family photos whenever we ask her to. And I definitely believe that the rubber duck being thrown at us was what bonded us together. Just saying.