diff --git a/.pg_migrate b/.pg_migrate
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e6afc2e53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.pg_migrate
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+up.connopts=dbname:jam_ruby
diff --git a/.rspec b/.rspec
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5f1647637
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.rspec
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+--color
+--format progress
diff --git a/.rvmrc b/.rvmrc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..566deff03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.rvmrc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+rvm use ruby-1.9.3@jamruby --create
diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index e6075ba88..b0e1c8d00 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -6,9 +6,11 @@ workspace = ENV["WORKSPACE"] || "~/workspace"
 
 gem 'pg', '0.14.0'
 gem 'jam_db', :path=> "#{workspace}/jam-db/target/ruby_package"
+gem 'jampb', :path => '~/workspace/jam-pb/target/ruby/jampb'
 gem 'activerecord', '3.2.7'
 gem 'uuidtools', '2.1.2'
 gem 'bcrypt-ruby', '3.0.1'
+gem 'ruby-protocol-buffers', '1.2.2'
 
 group :test do
   gem "factory_girl"
diff --git a/lib/jam_ruby.rb b/lib/jam_ruby.rb
index df2937c53..cc3109991 100644
--- a/lib/jam_ruby.rb
+++ b/lib/jam_ruby.rb
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 require "pg"
 require "active_record"
 require "jam_db"
+require "jampb"
 require 'uuidtools'
 require "jam_ruby/version"
-require "jam_ruby/models/extensions/uuid"
+require "jam_ruby/message_factory"
+require "jam_ruby/models/jam_session_member"
 require "jam_ruby/models/user"
 require "jam_ruby/models/jam_session"
 
diff --git a/lib/jam_ruby/message_factory.rb b/lib/jam_ruby/message_factory.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8ab61c786
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/jam_ruby/message_factory.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+module JamRuby
+  # creates messages (implementation: protocol buffer) objects cleanly
+  class MessageFactory
+
+    CLIENT_TARGET         = "client"
+    SERVER_TARGET         = "server"
+    SESSION_TARGET_PREFIX = "session:"
+    USER_TARGET_PREFIX    = "user:"
+
+
+    def initialize()
+
+    end
+
+    # create a login message using user/pass
+    def login_with_user_pass(username, password)
+      login = Jampb::Login.new(:username => username, :password => password)
+      return Jampb::ClientMessage.new(:type => ClientMessage::Type::LOGIN, :target => SERVER_TARGET, :login => login)
+    end
+
+    # create a login message using token (a cookie or similiar)
+    def login_with_token(token)
+      login = Jampb::Login.new(:token => token)
+      return Jampb::ClientMessage.new(:type => ClientMessage::Type::LOGIN, :target => SERVER_TARGET, :login => login)
+    end
+
+    # create a login ack (login was successful)
+    def login_ack(public_ip)
+      login_ack = Jampb::LoginAck.new(:public_ip => public_ip)
+      return Jampb::ClientMessage.new(:type => ClientMessage::Type::LOGIN_ACK, :target => CLIENT_TARGET, :login_ack => login_ack)
+    end
+
+    # create a jam session login message
+    def login_jam_session(jam_session)
+      login_jam_session = Jampb::LoginJamSession.new(:jam_session => jam_session)
+      return Jampb::ClientMessage.new(:type => ClientMessage::Type::LOGIN_JAM_SESSION, :target => SESSION_TARGET_PREFIX + jam_session_id, :login_jam_session => login_jam_session)
+    end
+
+    # create a jam session login message ack (success or on failure)
+    def login_jam_session_ack(error, error_reason)
+      login_jam_session_ack = Jampb::LoginJamSessionAck.new(:error => error, :error_reason => error_reason)
+      return Jampb::ClientMessage.new(:type => ClientMessage::Type::LOGIN_JAM_SESSION_ACK, :target => CLIENT_TARGET, :login_jam_session_ack => login_jam_session_ack)
+    end
+
+    # create a jam session 'leave session' message
+    def leave_jam_session(jam_session)
+      leave_jam_session = Jampb::LeaveJamSession.new(:jam_session => jam_session)
+      return Jampb::ClientMessage.new(:type => ClientMessage::Type::LEAVE_JAM_SESSION, :target => SERVER_TARGET, :leave_jam_session => leave_jam_session)
+    end
+
+    # create a jam session leave message ack (success or on failure)
+    def leave_jam_session_ack(error, error_reason)
+      leave_jam_session_ack = Jampb::LeaveJamSessionAck.new(:error => error, :error_reason => error_reason)
+      return Jampb::ClientMessage.new(:type => ClientMessage::Type::LEAVE_JAM_SESSION_ACK, :target => CLIENT_TARGET, :leave_jam_session_ack => leave_jam_session_ack)
+    end
+
+    # create a server error
+    def server_generic_error(error_msg)
+      error = Jampb::ServerGenericError.new(:error_msg => error_msg)
+      return Jampb::ClientMessage.new(:type => ClientMessage::Type::SERVER_GENERIC_ERROR, :target => CLIENT_TARGET, :server_generic_error => error)
+    end
+
+    # create a user-joined session message
+    def user_joined_jam_session(user_id, username)
+      error = Jampb::UserJoinedJamSession.new(:user_id => user_id, :username => username)
+      return Jampb::ClientMessage.new(:type => ClientMessage::Type::USER_JOINED_JAM_SESSION, :target => CLIENT_TARGET, :server_generic_error => error)
+    end
+
+    # is this message directed to the server?
+    def server_directed? msg
+       return msg.target == MessageFactory::SERVER_TARGET
+    end
+
+    # is this message directed to the client?
+    def client_directed? msg
+       return msg.target == MessageFactory::CLIENT_TARGET
+    end
+
+    # is this message directed to a (jam) session?
+    def session_directed? msg
+       return msg.start_with? MessageFactory::SESSION_PREFIX_TARGET
+    end
+
+    # is this message directed to a user?
+    def user_directed? msg
+       return msg.start_with? MessageFactory::USER_PREFIX_TARGET
+    end
+
+    def extract_session(msg)
+      return 
+    end
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/jam_ruby/models/extensions/uuid.rb b/lib/jam_ruby/models/extensions/uuid.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index 406e0c567..000000000
--- a/lib/jam_ruby/models/extensions/uuid.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-module JamRuby
-  module UUID
-    extend ActiveSupport::Concern
-
-    included do
-      before_create :generate_uuid
-
-      def generate_uuid
-        self.id = UUIDTools::UUID.random_create.to_s
-      end
-    end
-  end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/jam_ruby/models/jam_session.rb b/lib/jam_ruby/models/jam_session.rb
index 639f699d7..472e605b7 100644
--- a/lib/jam_ruby/models/jam_session.rb
+++ b/lib/jam_ruby/models/jam_session.rb
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 module JamRuby
   class JamSession < ActiveRecord::Base
 
-    include JamRuby::UUID
-
-    # Verifies that the specified user (user_session_id ) can join the jam_sessin_id
-    # returns true/false
-    def access?(jam_session_id, user_session_id)
+    belongs_to :user, :inverse_of => :jam_sessions
 
+    has_many :jam_session_members
+    has_many :users, :through => :jam_session_members
+         
+    # Verifies that the specified user can join this jam session
+    def access?(user)
+        return self.users.exists? user
     end
 
   end
diff --git a/lib/jam_ruby/models/jam_session_member.rb b/lib/jam_ruby/models/jam_session_member.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ec0c99ae7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/jam_ruby/models/jam_session_member.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+module JamRuby
+  class JamSessionMember < ActiveRecord::Base
+
+    belongs_to :user
+    belongs_to :jam_session
+    
+    
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/jam_ruby/models/user.rb b/lib/jam_ruby/models/user.rb
index d219f5bda..8c2fee21c 100644
--- a/lib/jam_ruby/models/user.rb
+++ b/lib/jam_ruby/models/user.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ module JamRuby
   class User < ActiveRecord::Base
 
     attr_accessible :name, :email, :password, :password_confirmation
+
+    has_many :jam_session_members
+    has_many :created_jam_sessions, :foreign_key => "user_id", :inverse_of => :user # sessions *created* by the user
+    has_many :jam_sessions, :through => :jam_session_members
     
     has_secure_password
 
diff --git a/spec/factories.rb b/spec/factories.rb
index d71d480d4..4e3d71480 100644
--- a/spec/factories.rb
+++ b/spec/factories.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 FactoryGirl.define do
-  factory :user do
+  factory :user, :class => JamRuby::User do
     sequence(:name) { |n| "Person #{n}" }
     sequence(:email) { |n| "person_#{n}@example.com"}
     password "foobar"
@@ -9,4 +9,12 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
       admin true
     end
   end
+
+  factory :jam_session, :class => JamRuby::JamSession do
+    sequence(:name) { |n| "Jam Session #{n}" }
+  end
+
+  factory :jam_session_member, :class => JamRuby::JamSessionMember do
+    
+  end
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/jam_ruby/models/jam_session_spec.rb b/spec/jam_ruby/models/jam_session_spec.rb
index 5470417c8..d80ef9cd7 100644
--- a/spec/jam_ruby/models/jam_session_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/jam_ruby/models/jam_session_spec.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,18 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 describe JamSession do
 
   it 'can grant access to valid user' do
-    
+
+    user1 = FactoryGirl.create(:user)  # in the jam session
+    user2 = FactoryGirl.create(:user)  # in the jam session
+    user3 = FactoryGirl.create(:user)  # not in the jam session
+
+    jam_session = FactoryGirl.create(:jam_session, :user => user1)
+
+    jam_session_member1 = FactoryGirl.create(:jam_session_member, :user => user1, :jam_session => jam_session)
+    jam_session_member2 = FactoryGirl.create(:jam_session_member, :user => user2, :jam_session => jam_session)
+
+    jam_session.access?(user1).should == true
+    jam_session.access?(user2).should == true
+    jam_session.access?(user3).should == false
   end
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/jam_ruby/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/jam_ruby/models/user_spec.rb
index 4d5103226..8250064f8 100644
--- a/spec/jam_ruby/models/user_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/jam_ruby/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -23,10 +23,9 @@ describe User do
 
   describe "accessible attributes" do
     it "should not allow access to admin" do
-      userish = User.new(admin: true, name: "george")
-      userish.admin.should == false
-      userish.name.should == "george"
-      userish.admin = true
+      userish = User.new(admin: true)
+      userish.admin.should == false # the .new style above will be ignored
+      userish.admin = true # but deliberate property setting will work
       userish.admin.should == true
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 490c13840..b794c7707 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ require 'factory_girl'
 require 'rubygems'
 require 'spork'
 require 'database_cleaner'
+require 'factories'
 
 include JamRuby