Our 2024, family trip to Greece.


I wouldn't say I'm a super anxious traveler... but for this trip. I was stressin.

Let's take it back.

My husband, Paul and I had a rough year in 2024. In February Paul learned he would need to have heart surgery. His doctors thought they found a heart tumor stuck to the inside of his mitral valve. Pauls heart surgery happened in April and went well, no complications.

The day we were being released from the hospital, a surgical nurse came into our room and told us that Pauls pathology report came back on the tumor, and the tumor was not actually a tumor. It was a blood clot.

This was shocking- he was immediately put on an anticoagulant and we went home. In May, he was diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disorder called, antiphospholipid syndrome. This disorder is extremely rare in men, and upon diagnoses, it is prescribed to be on blood thinners for the rest of your life.

For the summer, we were home free, Paul was healing really well and we had an awesome summer working in Lakeside, Ohio.

However, in August, 2 days after moving home from our summer jobs, Paul had a small stroke. This was due to him being on the wrong blood thinning medication.


My sister in law Erin, came to me back in March of last year, wondering if we would want to jump on this Greece trip with them.

My mother in law and father in law, Fody and Kelly Frentsos, had just bought their tickets to jump onboard with the local catholic church, on their tour of "The Apostle Paul's Footsteps through Greece."

Erin had always wanted to go on a family trip to Greece, since it is known in the family that our roots to Greece are STRONG (My husbands twitter handle was "greek_freak44" in high school if that tells ya anything).

So, not exactly wanting to follow "The Footsteps of the Apostle Paul" tour, Erin decided we were going to Greece and we were going to do it our own way.


She planned our trip from start to finish.

We would fly to Athens and then board a tiny flight to get to the island of Naxos. We would spend about 2 full days in Naxos, and then take a ferry to the island of Paros. We would stay for about 4 days there in a gorgeous downtown AirBNB... rent scooters, visit beaches and go on a private boat tour.

Then we would take a ferry to the next island. Milos! There we stay in a village called Klima, for two nights inside of a really small fisherman's hut and then two more days in a more pimped out AirBNB (one for experience and one for comfort). While in Milos ,we rent ATV's and rent our own boat and visit even MORE beaches.

For the FINALE, on our last day in Milos, our trips overlap as Kelly and Fody fly in a very small plane from Athens to meet us in Milos! We stay there two nights before all getting on a boat, back to Athens, renting a car and driving to a very small town in the greek countryside. This town, located in the valley of a mountain is where the Frentsos family name comes from. Stemnitsa, Greece.

After being in Stemnitsa two nights, we wake up, drive back to Athens, stay in an AirBnB 5 miles from the airport, and fly home in the morning.


A two week trip, hitting some of the best islands of Greece and also visiting the town that your husbands family is from. Oh and maybe taking a tour of the Parthenon while we're at it.


And we said, "we can't go."


How could we? At the time, Pauls surgery was on the horizon. Not to mention the autoimmune disorder diagnosis and the stroke one month before the departure. THIS is why your girl was stressin.

We wanted to go but it just didn't make sense to book this trip. Life felt cloudy and we weren't sure of much at the time.


BUT. We serve a good and gracious God that loves to give us gifts.


It was the weekend of Labor day. September 1st to be exact. About one month since the stroke, and about 19 days until the plane left for Athens. Paul was mostly recovered. We were at my in laws lakehouse in Marblehead, Ohio to celebrate. All of the "Greece trippers" were there. Kelly and Fody, Erin and her husband, Justin. And my brother in law, Phil.

It was then that I started to feel the FOMO brewing.

It was a small case of FOMO... my husband had just had a stroke... and he was still learning the ropes at his new job...

"We can't swing this. Right?! Paul would have to get medical clearance. His medication is still getting smoothed out....there's no way. Just put it down, Mal."

I was being realistic, keeping my expectations low.


"Paul, do you think we could swing Greece? You could start your new job when we get back. You could take your medication with us... and your feeling okay now... What do you think."


"I think... we should do it."


And so, the conversation began.

However, it was a fairly short conversation because we had 18 days to get our shiz together if we wanted to make it happen.


I am sharing this part so you can see what a sheer miracle it was that we got on that plane.


The panic and chaos that happened over the next few days is a story that I cannot make up. We got home September 2nd and had some doctors appointments and phone calls lined up to get Paul cleared, so that we could book tickets ASAP. Paul was on Lovenox at the time. Lovenox is a blood thinning medication, in the form of a shot to the chubby part of your belly, taken twice a day, everyday. At least until the coumadin is built up enough in your system. Coumadin is the new medication he was prescribed. It is a bit of a difficult medication to take because you have to figure out your dosage. Your dosage can change based off of what you eat, your activity levels and more. However, if you can stay consistent with what you eat and how active you are, the medication level in your blood should even out to the correct dosage amount... and then, you can get off of the Lovenox.

This was our life.

Sure enough... Pauls coumadin levels started evening out. This is something that usually takes a couple of months to stabilize.

This was very good! It meant that Paul was more likely to get the clearance he needed to go on the trip.

A miracle.


There is a day...

a day that everyone who goes out of the country every blue moon for a random trip has.

A day when I thought,

"Hey, lets just double check that we have our passports up to date."

Paul did not have his passport.

That's unfortunately a LONG story for a different blog post on why my husband did not have his passport...but lemme tell ya, it's another LONG one.


The next day we found out his passport was in a different state... pretty far away. The agency said they would try to get the passport back to us within 2 weeks. We had it expedited, and it came just in time.

A miracle.


We bought our tickets to Athens, Paros and Milos on September 12th. One week before takeoff.


Annnnnd it was exactly what we needed.

We did everything I told you about.

It was a gift from God. A gift that we got there, a gift that Paul was alive and well.

A gift that we were riding a scooter 50 mph along the coast of the mediterranean.

A gift that the water really is that blue.

A gift that pita bread doesn't make you feel bloated over there because they don't put junk in their food.

A gift that I am terrified of fish and I actually went snorkeling.

and it was awesome.


A gift that life goes on... after trauma. After surgery.

We heal,

We keep moving

and Jesus provides.



Vibrant pink bougainvillea flowers bloom against a bright blue sky in a tropical garden setting.
Mediterranean white building with vibrant pink bougainvillea cascading down the facade.
Boats docked in a Mediterranean harbor with white hillside buildings in the background.
White coastal town buildings overlooking bright blue Mediterranean waters with waves.
Empty cobblestone alley between white buildings with blue accents and balconies.
Sunny beach scene with turquoise waters and coastal landscape in the background.
Rocky coastline with turquoise waters and mountains in the background on a sunny Mediterranean day.
Person examining a parked scooter near coastal rocks at sunset.
Black and white photo of a traditional Mediterranean building with stone floor patterns.
Couple fishing off coastal pier with seagulls flying nearby.
Silhouetted figure framed in doorway overlooking Mediterranean sea.
White limestone formations and cliffs along Mediterranean coastline under bright blue sky.
Friends relaxing on boat deck in crystal clear turquoise waters.
A black and white photo of someone standing on a sandy hill against a bright sky.
Silhouettes of people sitting atop a white rock formation against a bright blue sky.
People swimming and floating in crystal clear blue Mediterranean waters.
Silhouettes of boats at sunset with mountains in the background creating a peaceful seascape.

“In April, Paul had heart surgery. In April, we were afraid.  

In May he was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, causing him to be on medication for the rest of his life. In May, we were depressed. 

In June we moved to Lakeside and lived and worked on Lake Erie with family. In June, we had peace. 

In August, Paul had a stroke. In August, we grieved. 

In September, he is stable and healthy.

We are on an island in Greece on the coast of the Mediterranean, riding a scooter.


In September, we have light. 


He has carried us through a mess.

We are here! Paul and I are here!

We have a gracious God who loves to give us gifts.

So, we are in Greece.

And there is light.

lots and lots of light.” 



Hand holding small colorful stones and seashells collected from the beach.
Someone diving off a white limestone cliff into blue ocean waters.
Beautiful rocky beach cove with white limestone cliffs and crystal clear blue waters.
Black and white portrait of someone smiling at an outdoor gathering.
A group of friends enjoying a summer day at the beach with crystal clear blue waters in the background.
A summer deck view of a mountain villa with lush greenery and scenic landscape.
A steep rocky mountain peak with a flag at the summit against a bright blue sky.
A window view overlooking a distant cityscape in black and white.
Traditional houses with red roofs cascading down a mountainside in a Mediterranean village.
Bright yellow daisies blooming in a summer garden with sunlit petals.
A hand holding a half-eaten sandwich against a rustic building backdrop.
Two hikers climbing stone steps on a nature trail, photographed from behind in black and white.
A tourist poses next to a historic monument with text inscriptions on stone steps.
A picturesque Italian village alley with stone steps, balconies, and flowering plants.
Two travelers posing by a stone monument against a mountainous Mediterranean landscape.
Group posing by a monument with Greek flag flying in the background.
Two visitors standing beside a memorial monument with a Greek flag waving in the background.
Two people viewing a stone monument with Greek inscription and flag.
Close-up view of the Parthenon's Doric columns against a vivid blue sky in Athens.
Tourists explore the ancient Propylaea gateway at the Athens Acropolis.
Tourists gather around the ancient Parthenon temple on the Acropolis in Athens during sunset.
The Acropolis of Athens stands majestically on a hill against a bright blue sky.
Ancient Greek columns frame a doorway at the Propylaea entrance of the Acropolis.
Aerial black and white cityscape view of Athens sprawling towards distant mountains.
Visitors explore the iconic Parthenon temple ruins on the Acropolis during a sunny day.