Hello married people, I was introduced to my current girlfriend in august 2013 by my adopted younger sister who relocated to UK 3 years ago. I jokingly call her an adopted younger sister because she is an SS patient and I have been very supportive in every area since university days. We were members of the same campus fellowship in school and that's how we got close. She knows me fairly well. This adopted younger sister was a best buddy to my current girlfriend and she knows her inside out, they were classmates. We spoke in august and she was like "big bro why don't you meet my friend". I manage my own IT firm in Lagos working with about 14 staff , my current girl doesn't know i own a business yet.

Back to my girlfriend, i met her in august .But i took it slow to observe things , i didn't commit to the relationship until after 2 months. She is a sanguine, genuine Christian, independently minded ( she manages 2 thriving business at the same time), she is a giver, flexible and pretty for her age etc. She told me early on that pre marital sex was off the table, although i wasn't a serious Christian after school ,i have been with several girls but i had to respect her wishes. I was engaged to a girl once and broke it off few months to the wedding because of constant conflicts so i think i know what i want right now.

After the initial 2 months of slowing down in the relationship, we have grown closer. We live close by so we see like twice a week. I have been to her house and area, i see how she relates with people. She is 33 and few months older than me, i never thought i could marry someone older . The day she told me i didn't see it as a big deal. Also she can be unorganized, not a good dresser amongst other weaknesses and i think i can work on those. I have accepted that i can't find a perfect person she will make mistakes in the future and i must be mature to forgive.

My problem is this, i can be very structured and do everything by the books. After the initial slow manner in which i started the relationship, my mind presently tells me "propose to her she is a good deal" but a part of me still want to follow the waiting rule like one year courtship etc. I am travelling by February next year and i wont have mind proposing now and wedding in like January or February which will make the whole courtship period like 5 or 6 months. With all the background info I have given, what do the married people here think, should I still follow the long courtship rule or follow my instincts? Thanks