diff --git a/classes/deck/deck.gd b/classes/deck/deck.gd
index b18df9d..88d1f03 100644
--- a/classes/deck/deck.gd
+++ b/classes/deck/deck.gd
@@ -39,11 +39,17 @@ func add_node(node: GDScript, meta: Dictionary = {}) -> DeckNode:
 	return node_inst
 
 
-func add_node_inst(node: DeckNode) -> DeckNode:
-	var uuid := UUID.v4()
-	nodes[uuid] = node
-	node._belonging_to = self
-	node._id = uuid
+func add_node_inst(node: DeckNode, assign_id: String = "", assign_to_self: bool = true) -> DeckNode:
+	if assign_to_self:
+		node._belonging_to = self
+
+	if assign_id == "":
+		var uuid := UUID.v4()
+		nodes[uuid] = node
+		node._id = uuid
+	else:
+		nodes[assign_id] = node
+
 
 #	if !meta.is_empty():
 #		for k in meta:
@@ -77,7 +83,7 @@ func disconnect_nodes(from_node: DeckNode, to_node: DeckNode, from_port: int, to
 
 
 func to_json(with_meta: bool = true) -> String:
-	var inner := {"nodes": {}}
+	var inner := {"nodes": {}, "variable_stack": variable_stack}
 
 	for id in nodes.keys():
 		inner["nodes"][id] = nodes[id].to_dict(with_meta)
@@ -89,3 +95,38 @@ func to_json(with_meta: bool = true) -> String:
 		for meta in get_meta_list():
 			d["meta"][meta] = get_meta(meta)
 	return JSON.stringify(d, "\t", false)
+
+
+static func from_json(json: String) -> Deck:
+	var data: Dictionary = JSON.parse_string(json) as Dictionary
+	var deck := Deck.new()
+
+	deck.variable_stack = data.deck.variable_stack
+
+	for key in data.meta:
+		deck.set_meta(key, data.meta[key])
+
+	var nodes_data: Dictionary = data.deck.nodes as Dictionary
+
+	for node_id in nodes_data:
+		var node := deck.add_node_inst(NodeDB.instance_node(nodes_data[node_id].node_type), node_id, false)
+		node._id = node_id
+		node.name = nodes_data[node_id].name
+		node._belonging_to = deck
+#		node.outgoing_connections = nodes_data[node_id].outgoing_connections
+#		node.incoming_connections = nodes_data[node_id].incoming_connections
+		for connection_id in nodes_data[node_id].outgoing_connections:
+			var connection_data = nodes_data[node_id].outgoing_connections[connection_id]
+			node.outgoing_connections[int(connection_id)] = connection_data
+
+		for connection_id in nodes_data[node_id].incoming_connections:
+			var connection_data = nodes_data[node_id].incoming_connections[connection_id]
+			node.incoming_connections[int(connection_id)] = connection_data
+
+		for key in nodes_data[node_id].meta:
+			node.set_meta(key, nodes_data[node_id].meta[key])
+
+		for prop in nodes_data[node_id].props:
+			node.set(prop, nodes_data[node_id].props[prop])
+
+	return deck
diff --git a/classes/deck/deck_node.gd b/classes/deck/deck_node.gd
index 4f3e4e5..a40af53 100644
--- a/classes/deck/deck_node.gd
+++ b/classes/deck/deck_node.gd
@@ -174,9 +174,13 @@ func to_dict(with_meta: bool = true) -> Dictionary:
 		"name": name,
 		"outgoing_connections": outgoing_connections,
 		"incoming_connections": incoming_connections,
-		"props": props_to_serialize,
+		"props": {},
 		"node_type": node_type,
 	}
+
+	for prop in props_to_serialize:
+		d.props[prop] = get(prop)
+
 	if with_meta:
 		d["meta"] = {}
 		for meta in get_meta_list():
diff --git a/classes/deck/nodes/print.gd b/classes/deck/nodes/print.gd
index 327217d..0296121 100644
--- a/classes/deck/nodes/print.gd
+++ b/classes/deck/nodes/print.gd
@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 extends DeckNode
 
+var times_activated := 0
+
 
 func _init() -> void:
 	name = "Print"
 	node_type = name.to_snake_case()
 	description = "print a value"
 
+	props_to_serialize = [&"times_activated"]
+
 	add_input_port(
 		Deck.Types.STRING,
 		"Text to print",
@@ -37,6 +41,8 @@ func _receive(to_port: int, data: DeckType, extra_data: Array = []) -> void:
 	else:
 		data_to_print = data.get_value()
 
+	times_activated += 1
+
 #	var data_to_print = input_ports[0].value_callback.call()
 	print(data_to_print)
 	print("extra data: ", extra_data)
diff --git a/graph_node_renderer/deck_renderer_graph_edit.gd b/graph_node_renderer/deck_renderer_graph_edit.gd
index a83fcdb..dfadf4c 100644
--- a/graph_node_renderer/deck_renderer_graph_edit.gd
+++ b/graph_node_renderer/deck_renderer_graph_edit.gd
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ func _ready() -> void:
 	var save_btn := Button.new()
 	save_btn.text = "Save"
 	get_zoom_hbox().add_child(save_btn)
+	var load_btn := Button.new()
+	load_btn.text = "Load"
+	get_zoom_hbox().add_child(load_btn)
 
 	save_btn.pressed.connect(
 		func():
@@ -33,6 +36,23 @@ func _ready() -> void:
 			f.store_string(t)
 	)
 
+	load_btn.pressed.connect(
+		func():
+			var f := FileAccess.open("user://save_test.json", FileAccess.READ)
+			for i in get_children():
+				i.queue_free()
+
+			deck = Deck.from_json(f.get_as_text())
+			scroll_offset = str_to_vector2(deck.get_meta("offset", ""))
+
+			for node_id in deck.nodes:
+				var node_renderer: DeckNodeRendererGraphNode = NODE_SCENE.instantiate()
+				node_renderer.node = deck.nodes[node_id]
+				add_child(node_renderer)
+				node_renderer.position_offset = str_to_vector2(deck.nodes[node_id].get_meta("position_offset", ""))
+	)
+
+
 	add_button.pressed.connect(
 		func():
 			var node := NodeDB.instance_node("button")
@@ -98,3 +118,13 @@ func attempt_disconnect(from_node_name: StringName, from_port: int, to_node_name
 
 func _on_scroll_offset_changed(offset: Vector2) -> void:
 	deck.set_meta("offset", offset)
+
+
+func str_to_vector2(s: String) -> Vector2:
+	if s.is_empty():
+		return Vector2()
+
+	var san := s.trim_prefix("(").trim_suffix(")").split(",")
+	var x := float(san[0])
+	var y := float(san[1])
+	return Vector2(x, y)
diff --git a/test.gd b/test.gd
deleted file mode 100644
index fbe3c1c..0000000
--- a/test.gd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,49 +0,0 @@
-extends Control
-
-var node_renderer_scene := preload("res://test_node_renderer.tscn")
-@onready var nodes_container: HBoxContainer = $NodesContainer
-
-@onready var add_button_button: Button = $AddButtonButton
-@onready var add_print_button: Button = $AddPrintButton
-@onready var connect_them_button: Button = $ConnectThemButton
-@onready var disconnect_them_button: Button = $DisconnectThemButton
-
-var deck: Deck = Deck.new()
-var button_node = preload("res://classes/deck/nodes/button.gd")
-var print_node = preload("res://classes/deck/nodes/print.gd")
-
-
-func _ready() -> void:
-	add_button_button.pressed.connect(
-		func():
-			var node := deck.add_node(button_node)
-			var node_renderer = node_renderer_scene.instantiate()
-			node_renderer.node = node
-			nodes_container.add_child(node_renderer)
-			add_button_button.disabled = true
-	)
-
-	add_print_button.pressed.connect(
-		func():
-			var node := deck.add_node(print_node)
-			var node_renderer = node_renderer_scene.instantiate()
-			node_renderer.node = node
-			nodes_container.add_child(node_renderer)
-			add_print_button.disabled = true
-	)
-
-	connect_them_button.pressed.connect(
-		func():
-			var node_a: DeckNode = nodes_container.get_child(0).node
-			var node_b: DeckNode = nodes_container.get_child(1).node
-
-			deck.connect_nodes(node_a, node_b, 0, 1)
-	)
-
-	disconnect_them_button.pressed.connect(
-		func():
-			var node_a: DeckNode = nodes_container.get_child(0).node
-			var node_b: DeckNode = nodes_container.get_child(1).node
-
-			deck.disconnect_nodes(node_a, node_b, 0, 1)
-	)
diff --git a/test.tscn b/test.tscn
deleted file mode 100644
index c849215..0000000
--- a/test.tscn
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,54 +0,0 @@
-[gd_scene load_steps=2 format=3 uid="uid://bhpd6rfiuimw5"]
-
-[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://test.gd" id="1_in4g7"]
-
-[node name="Test" type="Control"]
-layout_mode = 3
-anchors_preset = 15
-anchor_right = 1.0
-anchor_bottom = 1.0
-grow_horizontal = 2
-grow_vertical = 2
-script = ExtResource("1_in4g7")
-
-[node name="AddButtonButton" type="Button" parent="."]
-layout_mode = 0
-offset_left = 26.0
-offset_top = 576.0
-offset_right = 119.0
-offset_bottom = 607.0
-text = "Add Button"
-
-[node name="AddPrintButton" type="Button" parent="."]
-layout_mode = 0
-offset_left = 152.0
-offset_top = 576.0
-offset_right = 248.0
-offset_bottom = 607.0
-text = "Add Print"
-
-[node name="ConnectThemButton" type="Button" parent="."]
-layout_mode = 0
-offset_left = 283.0
-offset_top = 576.0
-offset_right = 379.0
-offset_bottom = 607.0
-text = "Connect them"
-
-[node name="DisconnectThemButton" type="Button" parent="."]
-layout_mode = 0
-offset_left = 421.0
-offset_top = 576.0
-offset_right = 538.0
-offset_bottom = 607.0
-text = "Disconnect them"
-
-[node name="NodesContainer" type="HBoxContainer" parent="."]
-layout_mode = 1
-anchors_preset = -1
-anchor_right = 0.999646
-anchor_bottom = 0.245654
-offset_right = 0.40799
-offset_bottom = -0.184006
-theme_override_constants/separation = 20
-metadata/_edit_use_anchors_ = true