diff --git a/include/ipfs/journal/journal_message.h b/include/ipfs/journal/journal_message.h
index 3289b7d..e29fb8b 100644
--- a/include/ipfs/journal/journal_message.h
+++ b/include/ipfs/journal/journal_message.h
@@ -39,4 +39,4 @@ int ipfs_journal_message_encode(struct JournalMessage* entry, uint8_t *buffer, s
  * @param results where to put the new JournalMessage
  * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
  */
-int ipfs_journal_message_decode(uint8_t *incoming, size_t incoming_size, struct JournalMessage **results);
+int ipfs_journal_message_decode(const uint8_t *incoming, size_t incoming_size, struct JournalMessage **results);
diff --git a/journal/journal.c b/journal/journal.c
index 20e844e..1aeb5ce 100644
--- a/journal/journal.c
+++ b/journal/journal.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
  * The journal protocol attempts to keep a journal in sync with other (approved) nodes
  */
 #include "libp2p/os/utils.h"
+#include "libp2p/utils/logger.h"
 #include "ipfs/journal/journal.h"
 #include "ipfs/journal/journal_message.h"
 #include "ipfs/journal/journal_entry.h"
@@ -32,20 +33,6 @@ int ipfs_journal_shutdown_handler(void* context) {
 	return 1;
 }
 
-/***
- * Handles a message
- * @param incoming the message
- * @param incoming_size the size of the message
- * @param session_context details of the remote peer
- * @param protocol_context in this case, an IpfsNode
- * @returns 0 if the caller should not continue looping, <0 on error, >0 on success
- */
-int ipfs_journal_handle_message(const uint8_t* incoming, size_t incoming_size, struct SessionContext* session_context, void* protocol_context) {
-	//struct IpfsNode* local_node = (struct IpfsNode*)protocol_context;
-	//TODO: handle the message
-	return -1;
-}
-
 /***
  * Build the protocol handler struct for the Journal protocol
  * @param local_node what to stuff in the context
@@ -177,3 +164,104 @@ int ipfs_journal_sync(struct IpfsNode* local_node, struct ReplicationPeer* repli
 	return retVal;
 }
 
+enum JournalAction { JOURNAL_ENTRY_NEEDED, JOURNAL_TIME_ADJUST, JOURNAL_REMOTE_NEEDS };
+
+struct JournalToDo {
+	enum JournalAction action; // what needs to be done
+	unsigned long long local_timestamp; // what we have in our journal
+	unsigned long long remote_timestamp; // what they have in their journal
+	uint8_t* hash; // the hash
+	size_t hash_size; // the size of the hash
+};
+
+struct JournalToDo* ipfs_journal_todo_new() {
+	struct JournalToDo* j = (struct JournalToDo*) malloc(sizeof(struct JournalToDo));
+	if (j != NULL) {
+		j->action = JOURNAL_ENTRY_NEEDED;
+		j->hash = NULL;
+		j->hash_size = 0;
+		j->local_timestamp = 0;
+		j->remote_timestamp = 0;
+	}
+	return j;
+}
+
+int ipfs_journal_todo_free(struct JournalToDo *in) {
+	if (in != NULL) {
+		free(in);
+	}
+	return 1;
+}
+
+int ipfs_journal_build_todo(struct IpfsNode* local_node, struct JournalMessage* incoming, struct Libp2pVector** todo_vector) {
+	*todo_vector = libp2p_utils_vector_new(1);
+	if (*todo_vector == NULL)
+		return -1;
+	struct Libp2pVector *todos = *todo_vector;
+	// for every file in message
+	for(int i = 0; i < incoming->journal_entries->total; i++) {
+		struct JournalEntry* entry = (struct JournalEntry*) libp2p_utils_vector_get(incoming->journal_entries, i);
+		// do we have the file?
+		struct DatastoreRecord *datastore_record = NULL;
+		if (!local_node->repo->config->datastore->datastore_get(entry->hash, entry->hash_size, &datastore_record, local_node->repo->config->datastore)) {
+			struct JournalToDo* td = ipfs_journal_todo_new();
+			td->action = JOURNAL_ENTRY_NEEDED;
+			td->hash = entry->hash;
+			td->hash_size = entry->hash_size;
+			td->remote_timestamp = entry->timestamp;
+			libp2p_utils_vector_add(todos, td);
+		} else {
+			// do we need to adjust the time?
+			if (datastore_record->timestamp != entry->timestamp) {
+				struct JournalToDo* td = ipfs_journal_todo_new();
+				td->action = JOURNAL_TIME_ADJUST;
+				td->hash = entry->hash;
+				td->hash_size = entry->hash_size;
+				td->local_timestamp = datastore_record->timestamp;
+				td->remote_timestamp = entry->timestamp;
+				libp2p_utils_vector_add(todos, td);
+			}
+		}
+		libp2p_datastore_record_free(datastore_record);
+	}
+	// TODO: get all files of same second
+	// are they perhaps missing something?
+	//struct Libp2pVector* local_records_for_second;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/***
+ * Handles a message
+ * @param incoming the message
+ * @param incoming_size the size of the message
+ * @param session_context details of the remote peer
+ * @param protocol_context in this case, an IpfsNode
+ * @returns 0 if the caller should not continue looping, <0 on error, >0 on success
+ */
+int ipfs_journal_handle_message(const uint8_t* incoming, size_t incoming_size, struct SessionContext* session_context, void* protocol_context) {
+	struct IpfsNode* local_node = (struct IpfsNode*)protocol_context;
+	// un-protobuf the message
+	struct JournalMessage* message = NULL;
+	if (!ipfs_journal_message_decode(incoming, incoming_size, &message))
+		return -1;
+	// see if the remote's time is within 5 minutes of now
+	unsigned long long start_time = os_utils_gmtime();
+	long long our_time_diff = start_time - message->current_epoch;
+	// NOTE: If our_time_diff is negative, the remote's clock is faster than ours.
+	// if it is positive, our clock is faster than theirs.
+	if ( llabs(our_time_diff) > 300) {
+		libp2p_logger_error("journal", "The clock of peer %s is out of 5 minute range. Seconds difference: %llu", session_context->remote_peer_id, our_time_diff);
+		return -1;
+	}
+	// TODO: get our records for the same period
+	// TODO: compare the two sets of records
+	// we will build a list of todo items:
+	// ask for files
+	// adjust time on files
+	// notify remote that we have files that they probably do not have
+	struct Libp2pVector* todo_vector = NULL;
+	ipfs_journal_build_todo(local_node, message, &todo_vector);
+	// set new values in their ReplicationPeer struct
+	return 1;
+}
+
diff --git a/journal/journal_message.c b/journal/journal_message.c
index 94c6f52..97bcf1f 100644
--- a/journal/journal_message.c
+++ b/journal/journal_message.c
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ int ipfs_journal_message_encode(struct JournalMessage* message, uint8_t *buffer,
  * @param results where to put the new JournalMessage
  * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
  */
-int ipfs_journal_message_decode(uint8_t *incoming, size_t incoming_size, struct JournalMessage **out) {
+int ipfs_journal_message_decode(const uint8_t *incoming, size_t incoming_size, struct JournalMessage **out) {
 	size_t pos = 0;
 	int retVal = 0, got_something = 0;;
 
diff --git a/merkledag/merkledag.c b/merkledag/merkledag.c
index 5a84835..0d40d30 100644
--- a/merkledag/merkledag.c
+++ b/merkledag/merkledag.c
@@ -61,20 +61,19 @@ int ipfs_merkledag_add(struct HashtableNode* node, struct FSRepo* fs_repo, size_
  */
 int ipfs_merkledag_get(const unsigned char* hash, size_t hash_size, struct HashtableNode** node, const struct FSRepo* fs_repo) {
 	int retVal = 1;
-	size_t key_length = 100;
-	unsigned char key[key_length];
+	struct DatastoreRecord* datastore_record = NULL;
 
 	// look for the node in the datastore. If it is not there, it is not a node.
 	// If it exists, it is only a block.
-	retVal = fs_repo->config->datastore->datastore_get((char*)hash, hash_size, key, key_length, &key_length, fs_repo->config->datastore);
+	retVal = fs_repo->config->datastore->datastore_get(hash, hash_size, &datastore_record, fs_repo->config->datastore);
 	if (retVal == 0)
 		return 0;
 
+	libp2p_datastore_record_free(datastore_record);
+
 	// we have the record from the db. Go get the node from the blockstore
-	retVal = ipfs_repo_fsrepo_node_read(hash, hash_size, node, fs_repo);
-	if (retVal == 0) {
+	if (!ipfs_repo_fsrepo_node_read(hash, hash_size, node, fs_repo))
 		return 0;
-	}
 
 	// set the hash
 	ipfs_hashtable_node_set_hash(*node, hash, hash_size);
diff --git a/repo/fsrepo/fs_repo.c b/repo/fsrepo/fs_repo.c
index 5c7d752..105b6f3 100644
--- a/repo/fsrepo/fs_repo.c
+++ b/repo/fsrepo/fs_repo.c
@@ -787,11 +787,10 @@ int ipfs_repo_fsrepo_node_read(const unsigned char* hash, size_t hash_length, st
 
 	// get the base32 hash from the database
 	// We do this only to see if it is in the database
-	size_t fs_key_length = 100;
-	unsigned char fs_key[fs_key_length];
-	retVal = fs_repo->config->datastore->datastore_get((const char*)hash, hash_length, fs_key, fs_key_length, &fs_key_length, fs_repo->config->datastore);
-	if (retVal == 0) // maybe it doesn't exist?
+	struct DatastoreRecord *datastore_record = NULL;
+	if (!fs_repo->config->datastore->datastore_get(hash, hash_length, &datastore_record, fs_repo->config->datastore))
 		return 0;
+	libp2p_datastore_record_free(datastore_record);
 	// now get the block from the blockstore
 	retVal = ipfs_blockstore_get_node(hash, hash_length, node, fs_repo);
 	return retVal;
@@ -804,11 +803,12 @@ int ipfs_repo_fsrepo_block_read(const unsigned char* hash, size_t hash_length, s
 
 	// get the base32 hash from the database
 	// We do this only to see if it is in the database
-	size_t fs_key_length = 100;
-	unsigned char fs_key[fs_key_length];
-	retVal = fs_repo->config->datastore->datastore_get((const char*)hash, hash_length, fs_key, fs_key_length, &fs_key_length, fs_repo->config->datastore);
-	if (retVal == 0) // maybe it doesn't exist?
+	struct DatastoreRecord *datastore_record = NULL;
+	if (!fs_repo->config->datastore->datastore_get(hash, hash_length, &datastore_record, fs_repo->config->datastore))
 		return 0;
+
+	libp2p_datastore_record_free(datastore_record);
+
 	// now get the block from the blockstore
 	struct Cid* cid = ipfs_cid_new(0, hash, hash_length, CID_PROTOBUF);
 	if (cid == NULL)
@@ -829,11 +829,10 @@ int ipfs_repo_fsrepo_unixfs_read(const unsigned char* hash, size_t hash_length,
 
 	// get the base32 hash from the database
 	// We do this only to see if it is in the database
-	size_t fs_key_length = 100;
-	unsigned char fs_key[fs_key_length];
-	retVal = fs_repo->config->datastore->datastore_get((const char*)hash, hash_length, fs_key, fs_key_length, &fs_key_length, fs_repo->config->datastore);
-	if (retVal == 0) // maybe it doesn't exist?
+	struct DatastoreRecord *datastore_record = NULL;
+	if (!fs_repo->config->datastore->datastore_get(hash, hash_length, &datastore_record, fs_repo->config->datastore))
 		return 0;
+	libp2p_datastore_record_free(datastore_record);
 	// now get the block from the blockstore
 	retVal = ipfs_blockstore_get_unixfs(hash, hash_length, unix_fs, fs_repo);
 	return retVal;
diff --git a/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_datastore.c b/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_datastore.c
index 873101c..adc6c2b 100644
--- a/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_datastore.c
+++ b/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_datastore.c
@@ -13,64 +13,81 @@
 #include "lmdb.h"
 #include "libp2p/utils/logger.h"
 #include "libp2p/os/utils.h"
+#include "libp2p/db/datastore.h"
 #include "ipfs/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_datastore.h"
 #include "ipfs/repo/fsrepo/journalstore.h"
+#include "libp2p/db/datastore.h"
 #include "varint.h"
 
 /**
  * Build a "value" section for a datastore record
- * @param timestamp the timestamp
- * @param data the data (usually a base32 of the cid hash)
- * @param data_length the length of data
- * @param result the resultant data object
+ * @param record the data
+ * @param result the data (usually a base32 of the cid hash) + the timestamp as varint
  * @param result_size the size of the result
  * @returns true(1) on success, otherwise 0
  */
-int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_build_record(const unsigned long long timestamp, const uint8_t *data, size_t data_length, uint8_t **result, size_t *result_size) {
+int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_encode_record(struct DatastoreRecord* record, uint8_t **result, size_t *result_size) {
 	// turn timestamp into varint
 	uint8_t ts_varint[8];
 	size_t num_bytes;
-	if (varint_encode(timestamp, &ts_varint[0], 8, &num_bytes) == NULL) {
+	if (varint_encode(record->timestamp, &ts_varint[0], 8, &num_bytes) == NULL) {
 		return 0;
 	}
 	// make new structure
-	*result = (uint8_t *) malloc(num_bytes + data_length);
+	*result = (uint8_t *) malloc(num_bytes + record->value_size);
 	if (*result == NULL) {
 		return 0;
 	}
 	memcpy(*result, ts_varint, num_bytes);
-	memcpy(&(*result)[num_bytes], data, data_length);
-	*result_size = data_length + num_bytes;
+	memcpy(&(*result)[num_bytes], record->value, record->value_size);
+	*result_size = record->value_size + num_bytes;
 	return 1;
 }
 
 /**
- * read a "value" section from a datastore record.
- * @param data what we read from the datastore
- * @param data_length the length of what we read from the datastore
- * @param timestamp the timestamp that was read from the datastore
- * @param record_pos where the data starts (without the timestamp)
- * @param record_size the size of the data section of the record
+ * turn lmdb components into a DatastoreRecord structure
+ * @param key the key that we searched for in the database
+ * @param value the result of the search
+ * @param record the complete structure
  * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
  */
-int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_parse_record(uint8_t *data, size_t data_length, unsigned long long *timestamp, uint8_t *record_pos, size_t *record_size) {
-	size_t varint_size = 0;
-	*timestamp = varint_decode(data, data_length, &varint_size);
-	record_pos = &data[varint_size];
-	return 1;
+int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_build_record(MDB_val *key, MDB_val *value, struct DatastoreRecord** record) {
+	*record = libp2p_datastore_record_new();
+	if (*record != NULL) {
+		size_t varint_size = 0;
+		struct DatastoreRecord *rec = *record;
+		// set key
+		rec->key_size = key->mv_size;
+		rec->key = (uint8_t *) malloc(rec->key_size);
+		if (rec->key == NULL) {
+			libp2p_datastore_record_free(*record);
+			*record = NULL;
+			return 0;
+		}
+		memcpy(rec->key, key->mv_data, key->mv_size);
+		// set value
+		rec->timestamp = varint_decode(value->mv_data, value->mv_size, &varint_size);
+		rec->value_size = value->mv_size - varint_size;
+		rec->value = (uint8_t *) malloc(rec->value_size);
+		if (rec->value == NULL) {
+			libp2p_datastore_record_free(*record);
+			*record = NULL;
+			return 0;
+		}
+		memcpy(rec->value, &value->mv_data[varint_size], rec->value_size);
+	}
+	return 0;
 }
 
 /***
  * retrieve a record from the database and put in a pre-sized buffer
  * @param key the key to look for
  * @param key_size the length of the key
- * @param data the data that is retrieved
- * @param max_data_size the length of the data buffer
- * @param data_size the length of the data that was found in the database
+ * @param record where to put the results
  * @param datastore where to look for the data
  * @returns true(1) on success
  */
-int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_get(const char* key, size_t key_size, unsigned char* data, size_t max_data_size, size_t* data_size, const struct Datastore* datastore) {
+int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_get(const unsigned char* key, size_t key_size, struct DatastoreRecord **record, const struct Datastore* datastore) {
 	MDB_txn* mdb_txn;
 	MDB_dbi mdb_dbi;
 	struct MDB_val db_key;
@@ -98,25 +115,11 @@ int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_get(const char* key, size_t key_size, unsigned char* data,
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	// the data from the database includes a timestamp. We'll need to strip it off.
-	unsigned long long timestamp;
-	uint8_t *pos = NULL;
-	size_t size = 0;
-	if (!repo_fsrepo_lmdb_parse_record(db_key.mv_data, db_key.mv_size, &timestamp, pos, &size)) {
+	if (!repo_fsrepo_lmdb_build_record(&db_key, &db_value, record)) {
 		mdb_txn_commit(mdb_txn);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	// Was it too big to fit in the buffer they sent?
-	if (size > max_data_size) {
-		mdb_txn_commit(mdb_txn);
-		return 0;
-	}
-
-	// set return values
-	memcpy(data, pos, size);
-	(*data_size) = size;
-
 	// clean up
 	mdb_txn_commit(mdb_txn);
 
@@ -153,9 +156,10 @@ int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_put(unsigned const char* key, size_t key_size, unsigned cha
 
 	// add the timestamp
 	unsigned long long timestamp = os_utils_gmtime();
+	struct DatastoreRecord *datastore_record = libp2p_datastore_record_new();
+	size_t record_size = 0;
 	uint8_t *record;
-	size_t record_size;
-	repo_fsrepo_lmdb_build_record(timestamp, data, data_size, &record, &record_size);
+	repo_fsrepo_lmdb_encode_record(datastore_record, &record, &record_size);
 
 	// prepare data
 	db_key.mv_size = key_size;