diff --git a/file.proto b/file.proto
index a13a94e..c1d97f8 100644
--- a/file.proto
+++ b/file.proto
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ message FormatMsg {
         repeated string       lines             = 7;  // the variables
         string                footer            = 8;  // the '}' line
         Type                  type              = 9;  // yep. type. yep. that's what this is for
+        bool                  padAfter          = 10;
 }
 
 message Find {
diff --git a/protoReformat.go b/protoReformat.go
index 01f0023..2e9b498 100644
--- a/protoReformat.go
+++ b/protoReformat.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 
 var allTheLines *LinesScanner
 var allTheNewLines []string
+var lastMessage *FormatMsg
 
 /*
 type EnumMessage struct {
@@ -78,26 +79,42 @@ func protoReformat(filename string) error {
 
 func doParse(lines []string) *FormatMsg {
 	var comments string
-	var inMessage bool
 
 	var basemsg *FormatMsg
 	basemsg = new(FormatMsg)
-	inMessage = false
+	lastMessage = basemsg
+
+	// TODO: read in start of the file
+	allTheLines = newLinesScanner(lines)
+	for allTheLines.Scan() {
+		line := allTheLines.NextRaw()
+		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "oneof ") {
+			break
+		}
+		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "enum ") {
+			break
+		}
+		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "message ") {
+			break
+		}
+		basemsg.Notes = append(basemsg.Notes, line)
+	}
+	// rewind a line
+	allTheLines.UnScan()
 
 	// write out the messages
-	allTheLines = newLinesScanner(lines)
 	for allTheLines.Scan() {
 		line := allTheLines.NextRaw()
 
 		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "oneof ") {
-			inMessage = true
-			comments = ""
 			if strings.Contains(line, "}") {
 				newmsg := basemsg.newMessage(line, comments, FormatMsg_ONEOF)
 				newmsg.Footer = "} // blah"
+				comments = ""
 				continue
 			}
 			newmsg := basemsg.newMessage(line, comments, FormatMsg_ONEOF)
+			comments = ""
 			newmsg.load()
 			continue
 		}
@@ -105,7 +122,6 @@ func doParse(lines []string) *FormatMsg {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "enum ") {
 			newmsg := basemsg.newMessage(line, comments, FormatMsg_ENUM)
 			comments = ""
-			inMessage = true
 			if strings.Contains(line, "}") {
 				newmsg.Footer = "} // blah"
 				continue
@@ -118,7 +134,6 @@ func doParse(lines []string) *FormatMsg {
 			log.Info("got to message", line)
 			newmsg := basemsg.newMessage(line, comments, FormatMsg_MESSAGE)
 			comments = ""
-			inMessage = true
 			if strings.Contains(line, "}") {
 				newmsg.Footer = "} // blah"
 				continue
@@ -127,11 +142,12 @@ func doParse(lines []string) *FormatMsg {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		if inMessage {
-			comments += fmt.Sprintln(line)
-		} else {
-			basemsg.Notes = append(basemsg.Notes, line)
+		if comments == "" {
+			if strings.TrimSpace(line) == "" {
+				lastMessage.PadAfter = true
+			}
 		}
+		comments += fmt.Sprintln(line)
 	}
 
 	return basemsg
@@ -153,6 +169,7 @@ func saveFile(filename string, data string) error {
 
 func newDepth(fmtmsg *FormatMsg, header string) *FormatMsg {
 	newmsg := new(FormatMsg)
+	lastMessage = newmsg
 	newmsg.MaxVarname = fmtmsg.MaxVarname
 	newmsg.MaxVartype = fmtmsg.MaxVartype
 	newmsg.Header = strings.TrimSpace(header)
@@ -308,7 +325,12 @@ func formatEnum(curmsg *FormatMsg) []string {
 		newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatLine(line, "enum"))
 	}
 
-	newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatLineBase(curmsg.Footer, "enum header"))
+	// newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatLineBase(curmsg.Footer, "enum footer"))
+	newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatFooter(curmsg.Footer, "enum footer"))
+	if curmsg.PadAfter {
+		newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatLineBase("", "PadAfter"))
+	}
+
 	return newmsg
 }
 
@@ -323,7 +345,12 @@ func formatOneof(curmsg *FormatMsg) []string {
 		newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatMsgLine(line, "oneof"))
 	}
 
-	newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatLineBase(curmsg.Footer, "oneof header"))
+	// newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatLineBase(curmsg.Footer, "oneof footer"))
+	newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatFooter(curmsg.Footer, "oneof footer"))
+	if curmsg.PadAfter {
+		newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatLineBase("", "PadAfter"))
+	}
+
 	return newmsg
 }
 
@@ -388,6 +415,38 @@ func (parent *FormatMsg) format() []string {
 	}
 }
 
+func (msg *FormatMsg) formatFooter(line string, dbg string) string {
+	if line == "" {
+		return "// footer was empty"
+	}
+	return msg.formatLineBase(line, "footer")
+}
+
+func (msg *FormatMsg) formatHeader(line string, dbg string) string {
+	if line == "" {
+		if msg.Depth != 0 {
+			return "// ERROR: header was blank"
+		}
+	}
+
+	parts := strings.Fields(line)
+	if len(parts) <= 3 {
+		return msg.formatLineBase(msg.Header, "header")
+	}
+
+	// hack to actually indent comments on the message line itself. you're welcome
+	start := parts[0] + " " + parts[1] + " " + parts[2]
+	end := strings.Join(parts[3:], " ")
+	offset := int(msg.MaxVarname) + int(msg.MaxVartype) + 16 - len(start)
+	pad := fmt.Sprintf("%d", offset)
+	if argv.Debug {
+		hmm := "%s%s     %" + pad + "s %s // depth=%d"
+		return fmt.Sprintf(hmm, msg.padBase(), start, " ", end, msg.Depth)
+	}
+	hmm := "%s%s     %" + pad + "s %s"
+	return fmt.Sprintf(hmm, msg.padBase(), start, " ", end)
+}
+
 func (msg *FormatMsg) formatLineBase(line string, dbg string) string {
 	line = strings.TrimSpace(line)
 	if argv.Debug {
@@ -450,47 +509,32 @@ func (msg *FormatMsg) formatMsgLine(line string, dbg string) string {
 	return msg.formatVarLine(line, "var "+dbg)
 }
 
+// chop extra spaces and blank lines
 func trimLines(lines []string) []string {
-	return strings.Split(strings.TrimSuffix(strings.Join(lines, "\n"), "\n"), "\n")
+	return strings.Split(strings.TrimSpace(strings.Join(lines, "\n")), "\n")
 }
 
 func formatMessage(curmsg *FormatMsg) []string {
 	var newmsg []string
 
 	// add the notes & comments before the header
-	// newmsg = append(newmsg, strings.TrimSpace(strings.Join(curmsg.Notes, "\n")))
-	for _, line := range trimLines(curmsg.Notes) {
-		newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatLineBase(line, "notes"))
-	}
-
-	if curmsg.Header != "" {
-		var line string
-		line = curmsg.formatLineBase(curmsg.Header, "header")
-
-		parts := strings.Fields(line)
-		if len(parts) > 3 {
-			// hack to actually indent comments on the message line itself. you're welcome
-			start := parts[0] + " " + parts[1] + " " + parts[2]
-			end := strings.Join(parts[3:], " ")
-			offset := int(curmsg.MaxVarname) + int(curmsg.MaxVartype) + 16 - len(start)
-			pad := fmt.Sprintf("%d", offset)
-			if argv.Debug {
-				hmm := "%s     %" + pad + "s %s // depth=%d"
-				line = fmt.Sprintf(hmm, start, " ", end, curmsg.Depth)
-			} else {
-				hmm := "%s     %" + pad + "s %s"
-				line = fmt.Sprintf(hmm, start, " ", end)
-			}
-			newmsg = append(newmsg, line) // +"// header")
+	notes := trimLines(curmsg.Notes)
+	if len(notes) == 0 {
+		// do nothing {
+	} else if len(notes) == 1 {
+		if notes[0] == "" {
+			// todo: track space in original file
 		} else {
-			newmsg = append(newmsg, line) // +"// header")
+			newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatLineBase(notes[0], "notes1"))
 		}
 	} else {
-		if curmsg.Depth != 0 {
-			newmsg = append(newmsg, "// ERROR: header was blank")
+		for _, line := range notes {
+			newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatLineBase(line, "notes2"))
 		}
 	}
 
+	newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatHeader(curmsg.Header, "header"))
+
 	for _, msg := range curmsg.Msgs {
 		switch msg.Type {
 		case FormatMsg_ENUM:
@@ -546,13 +590,20 @@ func formatMessage(curmsg *FormatMsg) []string {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if curmsg.Footer == "" {
-		newmsg = append(newmsg, "// footer was empty")
-	} else {
-		// newline := fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", curmsg.padding(1), curmsg.Footer) // +" //footer")
-		// newmsg = append(newmsg, newline)
-		newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatLineBase(curmsg.Footer, "msg depth"))
+	newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatFooter(curmsg.Footer, "footer"))
+	if curmsg.PadAfter {
+		newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatLineBase("", "PadAfter"))
 	}
+
+	/*
+		if curmsg.Footer == "" {
+			newmsg = append(newmsg, "// footer was empty")
+		} else {
+			// newline := fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", curmsg.padding(1), curmsg.Footer) // +" //footer")
+			// newmsg = append(newmsg, newline)
+			newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.formatLineBase(curmsg.Footer, "msg depth"))
+		}
+	*/
 	return newmsg
 }
 
@@ -579,6 +630,17 @@ func (it *LinesScanner) Scan() bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+func (it *LinesScanner) UnScan() bool {
+	if it.index < 1 {
+		it.index = 0
+		return false
+	}
+	it.Lock()
+	it.index--
+	it.Unlock()
+	return true
+}
+
 // does no cleaning of the data
 func (it *LinesScanner) NextRaw() string {
 	if it.index-1 == len(it.things) {