Reaching age milestones in adulthood

 Not 10 years old yet, but close. I loved this dress!

Baby Myla sits in elephant chair ... What life milestones will she anticipate?

Back in the 1960s it was a big deal in my family to have a birthday party. My mother made a special effort for my 10th birthday in 1967.

Ten years old is when a child's age is no longer in single digits. Ten years of age means one is in fourth grade, and it seems a lot older than nine years of age. My birthday is in December and the kids who were invited to the party enjoyed swimming in the indoor pool at a local hotel. Mom and an older sister were on lifeguard duty.

I was born and raised in Minnesota but grew up in Iowa. Age milestones have been on the mind, recently, as the 62nd birthday just passed and I became eligible for Social Security.

Looking back, the milestones have marched along in time:

1. 16 years old: Got a driver's license at the Cedar County Courthouse in Tipton, Iowa.
2. 18 years old: It was legal at that time to drink alcohol in Iowa, and we also could vote. The initial vote was also at the Tipton courthouse, and in 1976 it was a presidential election.
3. 21 years old: Full adulthood, and still in college at Iowa State University, Ames. Married, but too young. Later divorced.
4. 30 years old: Married for second time, enjoyed a newspaper career and lived in Davenport, Iowa. At 32, gave birth.
5. 40 years old: Ran the Quad-City Times Bix 7, loved the newspaper career and raising a child. New home built in rural Eldridge, Iowa.
6. 50 years old: Had a birthday party in a local bar/restaurant. First birthday party in decades. Husband made sure a big bowl of a favorite snack, potato chips, was among the food choices.
7. 60 years old: Low-key birthday event. A month later, the beloved newspaper career ended. A week later the resident beagle, Izzy, died of cancer. At 61, returned to run the 2-mile Quick Bix at the QCTimes Bix 7.
8. 62 years old: (Now) ... Eligible for Society Security and decided to take it. Married for 32 years, and celebrated with anniversary supper.
9. 65 years old: Will be eligible for Medicare, and finally will be back on a full health insurance program.
10. 70 years old: Will make that age, and up to 30 years longer, God willing.

According to the online dictionary, vocabulary.com, a milestone is a significant event in life, such as graduating high school, or college, or getting married. The excitement of having a pool party at age 10 hasn't really been reflected in any other milestone, but still ...