Day 34 of 365: Legally Meg

Today was yet ANOTHER big day...my appointment in Solihull (Birmingham) at the UK Border Agency's Public Enquiry Office for my Further Leave to Remain. Matt and I were ushered through security and didn't have to wait long before our number was called. We met with a woman behind a plate-glass window who asked for our passports, Matt's bank statements and payslips, and the application for Further Leave to Remain. She briefly flipped through Matt's bank statements and proceeded to cut out our passport photos with a scrap-booking-style die-cut punch. (Note to self: I NEED to get one of those!) Then she asked for our marriage certificate and sent us down to the payment window to release £595 of pretty purple British notes...

*A moment of silence, please...*

We were told the wait for my visa extension vignette sticker would be about an hour, so we popped out to have a mooch around some shops and a steak slice and piece of carrot cake from Firkins. We decided to return 45 minutes later only to find the big wooden doors to the UK Public Enquiry Office locked!! Panic set in...but it wasn't long until the security guard opened the door and asked if we were number thirty-seven. Apparently they had just called our number to say that my passport was ready!!

As you can see, my photo is absolutely HIDEOUS! The photo kiosks around here need to allow you to photo-shop some color into your skin and lighten the contrast before printing your photos. I don't think it helps that you're required to keep a neutral expression in a passport-style photo. I always joke that my original passport photo (from 2006) makes me look like the old woman from "Throw Mama From the Train" but this one surely takes the cake! So, because of that, I felt the need to submit further proof that I really don't think I look so horrendous today...you be the judge...

See? Normal. Not like I belong to part of the Cullen family in Twilight as I may appear in the photo above. Plus, this was just another excuse to include a piccy of the new hubbalicious hubby. I like to pretend he LOVES when I take 12+ photos until I find a good one. The man's gotta love me to put up with it, that's for sure.

So, needless to say, in addition to being married to the greatest person in my life, I am now officially a UK resident and can FINALLY work...LEGALLY!