Well it may not have been the full on deus ex machina, but I'll take it. As well as the lambie power boost, I'll take that too!
On the last day and the last hour (at least according to the official German office work schedule on a Friday), I got an email from my lawyer. He's spoken to the head of the immigration office and the two of them have gone over my application in detail. The manager cannot give approval now as that must wait for a formal committee meeting in several weeks. I'm imagining a bunch of hooded judges at a round table in a darkened room pronouncing "Yeah" or "Nay" (or more accurately "ja" or "nein" ) but hopefully it's something more benign.
At any rate, the head of immigration gave a "hint" to my lawyer (using his word) that my application looked "very good" (again using his words). While I won't breathe easy until I have my resident permit in my hot little hand, it is clear that my lawyer is quite pleased with this "very good".
In another move for which I'm truly grateful especially in the short term, my lawyer got the head of immigration to agree to use the signature and fingerprints that they already have on file for me if they issue me a new permit. This is a big deal, as normally you must go into the immigration office once your application has been approved and submit new signatures and prints for each new permit.
What this means is that I will NOT have to make an emergency three day round trip back to Regensburg while I'm in the UK. This is a HUGE relief to me.
If my application is approved, my lawyer has already agreed to go down to the immigration office for me, pick up my new permit and courier it to where ever I am at the time (so UK or Ireland).
There may be many steps between now and actually receiving my permit, but at least we've cleared the next hurdle and there's nothing more I can accomplish by continuing to stay here in Regensburg.
I already knew I was stressed about this, but when I opened my lawyer's email, I read it through three times and then I just burst into tears. That was kind of a surprise.
Then I read it another three times and just felt overwhelming relief. About the permit ,about being able to head off on my travels on Tuesday without this uncertainty hanging over my head. Then about half an hour later - now - I just feel so tired and want to curl in to bed and have a nap. I'm not upset or depressed, just exhausted. Makes zero sense as you'd think I'd be dancing a jig.
Maybe after a good night's sleep, jig dancing will happen tomorrow?
It must be awful living on a knife edge, but so sensible to think "so be it' and get on with your travel plans. I loved that Carbon's tail thumped when he heard laughter on the Podcast and what a super photo of them both.
Big kiss for him 
for you
