diff --git a/side-node/src/main.rs b/side-node/src/main.rs
index 3e07c35..2b50c12 100644
--- a/side-node/src/main.rs
+++ b/side-node/src/main.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+use std::{io::BufRead, thread};
+
 use bft_json_crdt::json_crdt::{BaseCrdt, SignedOp};
 use cli::{parse_args, Commands};
 use crdt::TransactionList;
 use node::SideNode;
-use tokio::sync::mpsc;
+use tokio::{sync::mpsc, task};
 use websocket::WebSocketClient;
 
 pub(crate) mod cli;
@@ -38,13 +40,31 @@ async fn setup(name: &String) -> SideNode {
     let side_dir = utils::home(name);
     let keys = keys::load_from_file(side_dir);
     let (incoming_sender, incoming_receiver) = mpsc::channel::<SignedOp>(32);
+
+    let (stdin_sender, stdin_receiver) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
+    task::spawn(async move {
+        stdin_input(stdin_sender);
+    });
+
     let crdt = BaseCrdt::<TransactionList>::new(&keys);
-    let node = SideNode::new(crdt, keys, incoming_receiver);
-    WebSocketClient::start(incoming_sender).await;
+    let node = SideNode::new(crdt, keys, incoming_receiver, stdin_receiver);
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        WebSocketClient::start(incoming_sender).await;
+    });
     println!("Node setup complete.");
     node
 }
 
+fn stdin_input(stdin_input_sender: std::sync::mpsc::Sender<String>) {
+    let stdin = std::io::stdin();
+    let lines = stdin.lock().lines();
+    for line in lines {
+        println!("We're in stdin_input");
+        let line = line.unwrap();
+        stdin_input_sender.send(line).unwrap();
+    }
+}
+
 // async fn maybe_autosend(
 //     autosend: bool,
 //     handle: ezsockets::Client<websocket::WebSocketClient>,
diff --git a/side-node/src/node.rs b/side-node/src/node.rs
index b4f7247..c3bd046 100644
--- a/side-node/src/node.rs
+++ b/side-node/src/node.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ pub(crate) struct SideNode {
     crdt: BaseCrdt<TransactionList>,
     keys: fastcrypto::ed25519::Ed25519KeyPair,
     incoming_receiver: mpsc::Receiver<SignedOp>,
+    stdin_receiver: std::sync::mpsc::Receiver<String>,
 }
 
 impl SideNode {
@@ -15,25 +16,37 @@ impl SideNode {
         crdt: BaseCrdt<TransactionList>,
         keys: Ed25519KeyPair,
         incoming_receiver: mpsc::Receiver<SignedOp>,
+        stdin_receiver: std::sync::mpsc::Receiver<String>,
     ) -> Self {
         let node = Self {
             crdt,
             keys,
             incoming_receiver,
+            stdin_receiver,
         };
         node
     }
 
     pub(crate) async fn start(&mut self) {
         println!("Starting node...");
+
         loop {
-            let incoming = self.incoming_receiver.recv().await.unwrap();
-            println!("Received incoming message: {:?}", incoming);
-            self.handle_incoming(incoming);
+            match self.stdin_receiver.try_recv() {
+                Ok(stdin) => {
+                    println!("Received stdin input: {:?}", stdin);
+                }
+                Err(_) => {}
+            }
+            match self.incoming_receiver.try_recv() {
+                Ok(incoming) => {
+                    self.handle_incoming(&incoming);
+                }
+                Err(_) => {}
+            }
         }
     }
 
-    fn handle_incoming(&mut self, incoming: SignedOp) {
+    fn handle_incoming(&mut self, incoming: &SignedOp) {
         println!("WINNNINGINGINGINGINGIGNIGN");
         self.crdt.apply(incoming.clone());
     }
diff --git a/side-node/src/websocket.rs b/side-node/src/websocket.rs
index 56709c3..fa8e7c1 100644
--- a/side-node/src/websocket.rs
+++ b/side-node/src/websocket.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
 use async_trait::async_trait;
 use bft_json_crdt::json_crdt::SignedOp;
 use ezsockets::ClientConfig;
-use std::io::BufRead;
 use tokio::sync::mpsc;
 
-use crate::utils;
-
 pub(crate) struct WebSocketClient {
     incoming_sender: mpsc::Sender<SignedOp>,
 }
@@ -14,8 +11,7 @@ impl WebSocketClient {
     /// Start the websocket client
     pub(crate) async fn start(
         incoming_sender: mpsc::Sender<SignedOp>,
-        // stdin_sender: mpsc::Sender<String>,
-    ) -> tokio::task::JoinHandle<()> {
+    ) -> ezsockets::Client<WebSocketClient> {
         tracing_subscriber::fmt::init();
         let config = ClientConfig::new("ws://localhost:8080/websocket");
         let (handle, future) =
@@ -23,27 +19,8 @@ impl WebSocketClient {
         tokio::spawn(async move {
             future.await.unwrap();
         });
-        tokio::spawn(async move {
-            let stdin = std::io::stdin();
-            let lines = stdin.lock().lines();
-            for line in lines {
-                println!("We don't get here until we send a message");
-                let line = line.unwrap();
-                let signed_op = if let "exit" = line.as_str() {
-                    break;
-                    // } else if let "trace" = line.as_str() {
-                    // node.trace_crdt();
-                    // continue;
-                } else {
-                    let fake = utils::fake_transaction("foo123".to_string());
-                    // stdin_sender.send(fake).await.unwrap();
-                    fake
-                };
-                tracing::info!("sending {:?}", signed_op);
-                let json = serde_json::to_string(&signed_op).unwrap();
-                handle.text(json).unwrap();
-            }
-        })
+        loop {}
+        handle
     }
 }