diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 465e609..de5c1ef 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,16 +1,23 @@
 pub mod types;
 use crate::types::Message;
 use std::{
+    cell::RefCell,
     collections::HashMap,
     io::{stdin, stdout, BufRead, Error as IoError, Stdin, Stdout, Write},
     rc::Rc,
 };
 
 pub struct Malestorm<'a> {
+    node: RefCell<Node>,
     io: MalestormIo,
     pub handlers: HashMap<&'a str, Box<dyn Fn(Message, Rc<Malestorm>)>>,
 }
 
+struct Node {
+    id: String,
+    nodes: Vec<String>,
+}
+
 struct MalestormIo {
     stdin: Stdin,
     stdout: Stdout,
@@ -19,6 +26,10 @@ struct MalestormIo {
 impl<'a> Default for Malestorm<'a> {
     fn default() -> Self {
         Self {
+            node: RefCell::new(Node {
+                id: String::new(),
+                nodes: Vec::new(),
+            }),
             io: MalestormIo {
                 stdin: stdin(),
                 stdout: stdout(),
@@ -47,38 +58,51 @@ impl<'a> Malestorm<'a> {
         let program = Rc::new(self);
 
         let mut buf = Vec::new();
-        loop {
-            let read = match program.io.read_line(&mut buf) {
-                Ok(v) => v,
-                Err(e) => panic!("{:?}", e),
-            };
 
-            if read == 0 {
-                continue;
-            }
+        let read = match program.io.read_line(&mut buf) {
+            Ok(v) => v,
+            Err(e) => panic!("{:?}", e),
+        };
 
-            let message: Message = match serde_json::from_slice(&buf) {
-                Ok(v) => v,
-                Err(e) => {
-                    eprintln!("error in parsing input: {:?}", e);
-                    continue;
-                }
-            };
-
-            let mtype = message.body.message_type.clone();
-
-            let pc = program.clone();
-
-            let handler = match program.handlers.get(&mtype.as_str()) {
-                Some(v) => v,
-                None => {
-                    eprintln!("no handler found for {}", message.body.message_type);
-                    continue;
-                }
-            };
-
-            handler(message, pc);
+        if read == 0 {
+            return;
         }
+
+        let message: Message = match serde_json::from_slice(&buf) {
+            Ok(v) => v,
+            Err(e) => {
+                eprintln!(
+                    "error in parsing input: {:?} msg = {}",
+                    e,
+                    String::from_utf8_lossy(&buf)
+                );
+                return;
+            }
+        };
+
+        let mtype = message.body.message_type.clone();
+
+        let pc = program.clone();
+
+        let handler = match program.handlers.get(&mtype.as_str()) {
+            Some(v) => v,
+            None => {
+                eprintln!("no handler found for {}", message.body.message_type);
+                return;
+            }
+        };
+
+        handler(message, pc);
+    }
+
+    pub fn set_node_id(&self, node_id: String) {
+        let mut node = self.node.borrow_mut();
+        node.id = node_id;
+    }
+
+    pub fn set_nodes(&self, nodes: Vec<String>) {
+        let mut node = self.node.borrow_mut();
+        node.nodes = nodes;
     }
 
     pub fn register(
@@ -94,6 +118,9 @@ impl<'a> Malestorm<'a> {
         // Add the correct value for in_reply_to
 
         std::mem::swap(&mut msg.src, &mut msg.dest);
+        let node = self.node.borrow();
+        msg.src = node.id.clone();
+
         msg.body.in_reply_to = msg.body.msg_id;
 
         let out = serde_json::to_vec(&msg)?;
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 928a715..8da0f75 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,18 +1,32 @@
-#![allow(special_module_name)]
-
-use std::rc::Rc;
-
 use distributed_systems_flyio::{
-    types::{EchoMessage, Message},
+    types::{EchoMessage, InitMessage, Message},
     Malestorm,
 };
+use std::rc::Rc;
 
 fn main() {
     let mut program = Malestorm::default();
 
+    program.register("init", |mut msg: Message, program: Rc<Malestorm>| {
+        let message_body: InitMessage = serde_json::from_value(msg.body.message_body.take())
+            .expect("error in parsing message body");
+
+        program.set_node_id(message_body.node_id);
+        program.set_nodes(message_body.nodes);
+
+        msg.body.message_type = "init_ok".into();
+
+        match program.reply(msg) {
+            Ok(_) => (),
+            Err(e) => {
+                eprintln!("init: error in writing response: {}", e);
+            }
+        }
+    });
+
     program.register("echo", |mut msg: Message, program: Rc<Malestorm>| {
-        let message_body: EchoMessage =
-            serde_json::from_value(msg.body.message_body).expect("error in parsing message body");
+        let message_body: EchoMessage = serde_json::from_value(msg.body.message_body.take())
+            .expect("error in parsing message body");
 
         msg.body.message_type = "echo_ok".into();
         msg.body.message_body = serde_json::to_value(message_body).unwrap();
@@ -20,7 +34,7 @@ fn main() {
         match program.reply(msg) {
             Ok(_) => (),
             Err(e) => {
-                eprintln!("error in writing response: {}", e);
+                eprintln!("echo: error in writing response: {}", e);
             }
         }
     });
diff --git a/src/types.rs b/src/types.rs
index b2ed2f7..6c6763a 100644
--- a/src/types.rs
+++ b/src/types.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 #[serde(deny_unknown_fields)]
 pub struct Message {
+    pub id: Option<i64>,
     pub src: String,
     pub dest: String,
     pub body: MessageBody,
@@ -26,6 +27,14 @@ pub struct EchoMessage {
     echo: String,
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(deny_unknown_fields)]
+pub struct InitMessage {
+    pub node_id: String,
+    #[serde(rename = "node_ids")]
+    pub nodes: Vec<String>,
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test {