Teamwork is the foundation for Goans' marriage

Kenny and Christiane Goans, married 23 years, are pictured with their youngest two daughters, Ashtyn, 17, and Kenzleigh, 9. Their oldest daughter Tylere, 23, is in the portrait above and one-year-old Murphy, a mini-golden doodle is on Christiane's lap.
Kenny and Christiane Goans, married 23 years, are pictured with their youngest two daughters, Ashtyn, 17, and Kenzleigh, 9. Their oldest daughter Tylere, 23, is in the portrait above and one-year-old Murphy, a mini-golden doodle is on Christiane's lap.

Working hard and teamwork are the foundation of Kenny and Christiane Goans' 23-year marriage.

They take time each day to listen to each other's stories and they have an open communication policy.

"I like how you guys don't fight and are nice to each other," said their 9-year-old daughter Kinzleigh.

Daughter Ashtyn, 17, observed, "they equal each other.

"One wouldn't be able to go through the day without the other."

Kenny and Christiane met at a New Year's Eve party when he was a senior and she a junior at California High School.

"We'd known of each other, but never really ran in the same circles," she said.

Pretty quick they found a spark and negotiated time for dates and phone calls in between school, sports and jobs at the video store and Dairy Queen.

The next year, he came home nearly every weekend from college at the University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg. And the following year, she followed him there.

Eventually, he earned a bachelor's degree in physical education and she earned degrees in special education and elementary education.

Before graduation, they started their family, which created a challenge, but they made it work, Kenny said.

"It was teamwork; we supported one another," he said.

Christiane agreed, "It's always been part of our relationship; we depend on one another."

When they moved back to California to rear their family and start their careers, they continued to pursue their individual goals of higher education.

That teamwork continued as Christiane took on more parenting duties when Kenny was coaching or he stepped up when she was earning her master's degree in counseling.

"Through any adversity, we wanted to make it work," Kenny said. "We wanted to reach our goals."

Christiane started teaching special education in Versailles in 1996. In 1998, she was hired to teach third grade at California Elementary School. Then, in 2004 she became the elementary counselor.

Kenny's career path has been a little more diverse.

His first job was teaching at the Tipton Correctional Center, then at the Division of Youth Services in Fulton.

Through those experiences, he learned he had a knack for teaching math and earned his math teaching certification.

He taught four years at the California Alternative School, which of all jobs may have been the most difficult, he said. But today it is also a satisfying part of his career, when he meets former students who have gone on to the military, careers or college.

Next, Kenny taught math nine years at California Middle School, then elementary P.E. for a year. Then, back to math but at California High School for three years.

This year, Kenny is back at the Middle School. That allows the Goans to talk about students they have both worked with, especially when they are having success.

"We both value the underdogs, the ones who don't have it made and have to work hard and rise above obstacles," Kenny said.

Driving to sports and music activities and church in Jefferson City at Capital City Christian Church on Sundays, the family enjoys the extra time to talk with one another.

And, they make it a point to sit down together for family meals at least three nights each week.

Beyond work, most of their interests revolve around their family. Even their hobbies of photography and cooking, are family-centered.

Much of their parenting style comes from their own parents, they agreed.

Kenny makes quality time with their children, like reading together every night when they were younger, a priority. Christiane said she's more of the planner and preparer.

And instilling good values in their children is a high priority for both - kindness, treating others they was they would want to be treated, valuing education, valuing God and working hard.

"I look at my parents and I want to have a relationship like that one day," Ashtyn said.