diff --git a/lib/xmldoc.js b/lib/xmldoc.js
index d96128d..aab2545 100644
--- a/lib/xmldoc.js
+++ b/lib/xmldoc.js
@@ -26,8 +26,6 @@ function XmlElement(tag) {
   this.name = tag.name;
   this.attr = tag.attributes;
   this.val = "";
-  this.isValCdata = false;
-  this.isValComment = false;
   this.children = [];
   this.firstChild = null;
   this.lastChild = null;
@@ -39,18 +37,24 @@ function XmlElement(tag) {
   this.startTagPosition = parser.startTagPosition;
 }
 
-// SaxParser handlers
-
-XmlElement.prototype._opentag = function(tag) {
+// Private methods
 
-  var child = new XmlElement(tag);
-  
+XmlElement.prototype._addChild = function(child) {
   // add to our children array
   this.children.push(child);
 
   // update first/last pointers
   if (!this.firstChild) this.firstChild = child;
   this.lastChild = child;
+};
+
+// SaxParser handlers
+
+XmlElement.prototype._opentag = function(tag) {
+
+  var child = new XmlElement(tag);
+
+  this._addChild(child);
 
   delegates.unshift(child);
 };
@@ -60,18 +64,26 @@ XmlElement.prototype._closetag = function() {
 };
 
 XmlElement.prototype._text = function(text) {
-  this.val = text;
+  if (typeof this.children === 'undefined')
+    return
+
+  this.val += text;
+
+  this._addChild(new XmlTextNode(text));
 };
 
 XmlElement.prototype._cdata = function(cdata) {
-  this.val = cdata;
-  this.isValCdata=true;
+  this.val += cdata;
+
+  this._addChild(new XmlCDataNode(cdata));
 };
 
 XmlElement.prototype._comment = function(comment) {
-  this.val = comment;
-  this.isValComment=true;
-}
+  if (typeof this.children === 'undefined')
+    return
+
+  this._addChild(new XmlCommentNode(comment));
+};
 
 XmlElement.prototype._error = function(err) {
   throw err;
@@ -81,7 +93,8 @@ XmlElement.prototype._error = function(err) {
 
 XmlElement.prototype.eachChild = function(iterator, context) {
   for (var i=0, l=this.children.length; i<l; i++)
-    if (iterator.call(context, this.children[i], i, this.children) === false) return;
+    if (this.children[i].type === "element")
+      if (iterator.call(context, this.children[i], i, this.children) === false) return;
 };
 
 XmlElement.prototype.childNamed = function(name) {
@@ -105,7 +118,7 @@ XmlElement.prototype.childrenNamed = function(name) {
 XmlElement.prototype.childWithAttribute = function(name,value) {
   for (var i=0, l=this.children.length; i<l; i++) {
     var child = this.children[i];
-    if ( (value && child.attr[name] === value) || (!value && child.attr[name]) )
+    if (child.type === "element" && ((value && child.attr[name] === value) || (!value && child.attr[name])))
       return child;
   }
   return undefined;
@@ -116,7 +129,7 @@ XmlElement.prototype.descendantWithPath = function(path) {
   var components = path.split('.');
 
   for (var i=0, l=components.length; i<l; i++)
-    if (descendant)
+    if (descendant && descendant.type === "element")
       descendant = descendant.childNamed(components[i]);
     else
       return undefined;
@@ -148,38 +161,70 @@ XmlElement.prototype.toStringWithIndent = function(indent, options) {
     if (Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(this.attr, name))
         s += " " + name + '="' + escapeXML(this.attr[name]) + '"';
 
-  var finalVal = '';
-  if (this.isValCdata){
-    finalVal = '<![CDATA['+this.val+']]>';
-  } else if (preserveWhitespace) {
-    finalVal = escapeXML(this.val);
-  } else{
-    finalVal = escapeXML(this.val.trim());
+  if (this.children.length === 1 && this.children[0].type !== "element") {
+    s += ">" + this.children[0].toString(options) + "</" + this.name + ">";
   }
-  if (options && options.trimmed && finalVal.length > 25)
-    finalVal = finalVal.substring(0,25).trim() + "…";
-  
-  if (this.children.length) {
+  else if (this.children.length) {
     s += ">" + linebreak;
 
     var childIndent = indent + (options && options.compressed ? "" : "  ");
-    
-    if (finalVal.length)
-      s += childIndent + finalVal + linebreak;
 
-    for (var i=0, l=this.children.length; i<l; i++)
+    for (var i=0, l=this.children.length; i<l; i++) {
       s += this.children[i].toStringWithIndent(childIndent, options) + linebreak;
-    
+    }
+
     s += indent + "</" + this.name + ">";
   }
-  else if (finalVal.length) {
-    s += ">" + finalVal + "</" + this.name +">";
-  }
   else s += "/>";
-  
+
   return s;
 };
 
+// Alternative XML nodes
+
+function XmlTextNode (text) {
+  this.text = text;
+}
+
+XmlTextNode.prototype.toString = function(options) {
+  return formatText(escapeXML(this.text), options);
+};
+
+XmlTextNode.prototype.toStringWithIndent = function(indent, options) {
+  return indent+this.toString(options);
+};
+
+function XmlCDataNode (cdata) {
+  this.cdata = cdata;
+}
+
+XmlCDataNode.prototype.toString = function(options) {
+  return "<![CDATA["+formatText(this.cdata, options)+"]]>";
+};
+
+XmlCDataNode.prototype.toStringWithIndent = function(indent, options) {
+  return indent+this.toString(options);
+};
+
+function XmlCommentNode (comment) {
+  this.comment = comment;
+}
+
+XmlCommentNode.prototype.toString = function(options) {
+  return "<!--"+formatText(escapeXML(this.comment), options)+"-->";
+};
+
+XmlCommentNode.prototype.toStringWithIndent = function(indent, options) {
+  return indent+this.toString(options);
+};
+
+// Node type tag
+
+XmlElement.prototype.type = "element";
+XmlTextNode.prototype.type = "text";
+XmlCDataNode.prototype.type = "cdata";
+XmlCommentNode.prototype.type = "comment";
+
 /*
 XmlDocument is the class we expose to the user; it uses the sax parser to create a hierarchy
 of XmlElements.
@@ -263,6 +308,18 @@ function escapeXML(value){
   return value.replace(/&/g, '&amp;').replace(/</g, "&lt;").replace(/>/g, "&gt;").replace(/'/g, '&apos;').replace(/"/g, '&quot;');
 }
 
+// formats some text for debugging given a few options
+function formatText(text, options) {
+  var finalText = text;
+
+  if (options && options.trimmed && text.length > 25)
+    finalText = finalText.substring(0,25).trim() + "…";
+  if (!(options && options.preserveWhitespace))
+    finalText = finalText.trim();
+
+  return finalText;
+}
+
 // Are we being used in a Node-like environment?
 if (typeof module !== 'undefined' && module.exports && !global.xmldocAssumeBrowser)
     module.exports.XmlDocument = XmlDocument;
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 07f10cf..038f54b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@
     {
       "name": "Nick Farina",
       "email": "nfarina@gmail.com"
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "Caleb Meredith",
+      "email": "calebmeredith8@gmail.com"
     }
   ],
   "readmeFilename": "README.md",
diff --git a/test/basic.js b/test/basic.js
index 0af6dac..9ac0b39 100644
--- a/test/basic.js
+++ b/test/basic.js
@@ -5,10 +5,10 @@ t.test('verify sax global in browser', function (t) {
 
   // "un-require" the xmldoc module that we loaded up top
   delete require.cache[require.resolve('../')];
-  
+
   // also un-require the actual xmldoc module pulled in by index.js ('../')
   delete require.cache[require.resolve('../lib/xmldoc.js')];
-  
+
   // this signal will be picked up on by xmldoc.js
   global.xmldocAssumeBrowser = true;
 
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ t.test('verify sax global in browser', function (t) {
   global.sax = {};
   require('../');
   t.ok(global.XmlDocument);
-  
+
   t.end();
 })
 
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ t.test('extend util', function(t) {
 })
 
 t.test('parse xml', function (t) {
-  
+
   var xmlString = '<hello>world</hello>';
   var parsed = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
   t.ok(parsed);
@@ -50,19 +50,26 @@ t.test('parse xml', function (t) {
 })
 
 t.test('cdata handling', function (t) {
-  
+
   var xmlString = '<hello><![CDATA[<world>]]></hello>';
   var parsed = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
   t.equal(parsed.val, "<world>");
-  t.equal(parsed.isValCdata, true);
+  t.end();
+})
+
+t.test('cdata and text handling', function (t) {
+
+  var xmlString = '<hello>(<![CDATA[<world>]]>)</hello>';
+  var parsed = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+  t.equal(parsed.val, "(<world>)");
   t.end();
 })
 
 t.test('doctype handling', function (t) {
-  
+
   var docWithType = new XmlDocument('<!DOCTYPE HelloWorld><hello>world</hello>');
   t.equal(docWithType.doctype, " HelloWorld");
-  
+
   var docWithoutType = new XmlDocument('<hello>world</hello>');
   t.equal(docWithoutType.doctype, "");
 
@@ -74,30 +81,113 @@ t.test('doctype handling', function (t) {
 })
 
 t.test('comment handling', function (t) {
-  
+
   var xmlString = '<hello><!-- World --></hello>';
   var parsed = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
-  t.equal(parsed.val, " World ");
-  t.equal(parsed.isValComment, true);
+  t.equal(parsed.val, "");
+  t.end();
+})
+
+t.test('comment and text handling', function (t) {
+
+  var xmlString = '<hello>(<!-- World -->)</hello>';
+  var parsed = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+  t.equal(parsed.val, "()");
+  t.end();
+})
+
+t.test('text, cdata, and comment handling', function (t) {
+
+  var xmlString = '<hello>Hello<!-- , --> <![CDATA[<world>]]>!</hello>';
+  var parsed = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+  t.equal(parsed.val, "Hello <world>!");
+  t.end();
+})
+
+t.test('text with elements handling', function (t) {
+
+  var xmlString = '<hello>hello, <world/>!</hello>';
+  var parsed = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+  t.equal(parsed.val, "hello, !");
+  t.end();
+})
+
+t.test('text before root node', function (t) {
+
+  var xmlString = '\n\n<hello>*</hello>';
+  var xml = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+
+  t.equal(xml.val, '*');
+  t.equal(xml.children.length, 1);
+  t.end();
+})
+
+t.test('text after root node', function (t) {
+
+  var xmlString = '<hello>*</hello>\n\n';
+  var xml = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+
+  t.equal(xml.val, '*');
+  t.equal(xml.children.length, 1);
+  t.end();
+})
+
+t.test('text before root node with version', function (t) {
+
+  var xmlString = '<?xml version="1.0"?>\n\n<hello>*</hello>';
+  var xml = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+
+  t.equal(xml.val, '*');
+  t.equal(xml.children.length, 1);
+  t.end();
+})
+
+t.test('text after root node with version', function (t) {
+
+  var xmlString = '<?xml version="1.0"?><hello>*</hello>\n\n';
+  var xml = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+
+  t.equal(xml.val, '*');
+  t.equal(xml.children.length, 1);
+  t.end();
+})
+
+t.test('comment before root node', function (t) {
+
+  var xmlString = '<!-- hello --><world>*</world>';
+  var xml = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+
+  t.equal(xml.val, '*');
+  t.equal(xml.children.length, 1);
+  t.end();
+})
+
+t.test('comment after root node', function (t) {
+
+  var xmlString = '<hello>*</hello><!-- world -->';
+  var xml = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+
+  t.equal(xml.val, '*');
+  t.equal(xml.children.length, 1);
   t.end();
 })
 
 t.test('error handling', function (t) {
-  
+
   var xmlString = '<hello><unclosed-tag></hello>';
-  
+
   t.throws(function() {
     var parsed = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
   });
-  
+
   t.end();
 })
 
 t.test('tag locations', function (t) {
-  
+
   var xmlString = '<books><book title="Twilight"/></books>';
   var books = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
-  
+
   var book = books.children[0];
   t.equal(book.attr.title, "Twilight");
   t.equal(book.startTagPosition, 8);
@@ -108,34 +198,71 @@ t.test('tag locations', function (t) {
 })
 
 t.test('eachChild', function (t) {
-  
+
   var xmlString = '<books><book title="Twilight"/><book title="Twister"/></books>';
   var books = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
-  
+
   expectedTitles = ["Twilight", "Twister"];
-  
+
   books.eachChild(function(book, i, books) {
     t.equal(book.attr.title, expectedTitles[i]);
   });
-  
+
+  called = 0;
+  books.eachChild(function(book, i, books) {
+    called++;
+    return false; // test that returning false short-circuits the loop
+  });
+  t.equal(called, 1);
+
+  t.end();
+})
+
+t.test('eachChild with text and comments', function (t) {
+
+  var xmlString = '<books><book title="Twilight"/>text!<book title="Twister"/><!--comment!--></books>';
+  var books = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+
+  expectedTitles = ["Twilight", "Twister"];
+
+  var elI = 0;
+
+  books.eachChild(function(book, i, books) {
+    t.equal(book.attr.title, expectedTitles[elI++]);
+  });
+
   called = 0;
   books.eachChild(function(book, i, books) {
     called++;
     return false; // test that returning false short-circuits the loop
   });
   t.equal(called, 1);
-  
+
   t.end();
 })
 
 t.test('childNamed', function (t) {
-  
+
   var xmlString = '<books><book/><good-book/></books>';
   var books = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
-  
+
+  var goodBook = books.childNamed('good-book');
+  t.equal(goodBook.name, 'good-book');
+
+  var badBook = books.childNamed('bad-book');
+  t.equal(badBook, undefined);
+
+  t.end();
+})
+
+t.test('childNamed with text', function (t) {
+
+  var xmlString = '<books><book/>text<good-book/></books>';
+  var books = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+
   var goodBook = books.childNamed('good-book');
-  t.equal(goodBook.name, 'good-book');  
-  
+  t.equal(goodBook.name, 'good-book');
+
   var badBook = books.childNamed('bad-book');
   t.equal(badBook, undefined);
 
@@ -143,10 +270,10 @@ t.test('childNamed', function (t) {
 })
 
 t.test('childNamed', function (t) {
-  
+
   var xmlString = '<fruits><apple sweet="yes"/><orange/><apple sweet="no"/><banana/></fruits>';
   var fruits = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
-  
+
   var apples = fruits.childrenNamed('apple');
   t.equal(apples.length, 2);
   t.equal(apples[0].attr.sweet, 'yes');
@@ -155,48 +282,100 @@ t.test('childNamed', function (t) {
 })
 
 t.test('childWithAttribute', function (t) {
-  
+
   var xmlString = '<fruits><apple pick="no"/><orange rotten="yes"/><apple pick="yes"/><banana/></fruits>';
   var fruits = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
-  
+
   var pickedFruit = fruits.childWithAttribute('pick', 'yes');
   t.equal(pickedFruit.name, 'apple');
   t.equal(pickedFruit.attr.pick, 'yes');
-  
+
   var rottenFruit = fruits.childWithAttribute('rotten');
   t.equal(rottenFruit.name, 'orange');
-  
+
   var peeled = fruits.childWithAttribute('peeled');
   t.equal(peeled, undefined);
-  
+
+  t.end();
+})
+
+t.test('childWithAttribute with text', function (t) {
+
+  var xmlString = '<fruits><apple pick="no"/><orange rotten="yes"/>text<apple pick="yes"/><banana/></fruits>';
+  var fruits = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+
+  var pickedFruit = fruits.childWithAttribute('pick', 'yes');
+  t.equal(pickedFruit.name, 'apple');
+  t.equal(pickedFruit.attr.pick, 'yes');
+
+  var rottenFruit = fruits.childWithAttribute('rotten');
+  t.equal(rottenFruit.name, 'orange');
+
+  var peeled = fruits.childWithAttribute('peeled');
+  t.equal(peeled, undefined);
+
   t.end();
 })
 
 t.test('descendantWithPath', function (t) {
-  
+
   var xmlString = '<book><author><first>George R.R.</first><last>Martin</last></author></book>';
   var book = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
-  
+
+  var lastNameNode = book.descendantWithPath('author.last');
+  t.equal(lastNameNode.val, 'Martin');
+
+  var middleNameNode = book.descendantWithPath('author.middle');
+  t.equal(middleNameNode, undefined);
+
+  var publisherNameNode = book.descendantWithPath('publisher.first');
+  t.equal(publisherNameNode, undefined);
+
+  t.end();
+})
+
+t.test('descendantWithPath with text', function (t) {
+
+  var xmlString = '<book><author>text<first>George R.R.</first><last>Martin</last></author></book>';
+  var book = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+
   var lastNameNode = book.descendantWithPath('author.last');
   t.equal(lastNameNode.val, 'Martin');
-  
+
   var middleNameNode = book.descendantWithPath('author.middle');
   t.equal(middleNameNode, undefined);
 
   var publisherNameNode = book.descendantWithPath('publisher.first');
   t.equal(publisherNameNode, undefined);
-  
+
   t.end();
 })
 
 t.test('valueWithPath', function (t) {
-  
+
   var xmlString = '<book><author><first>George R.R.</first><last hyphenated="no">Martin</last></author></book>';
   var book = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
-  
+
   var lastName = book.valueWithPath('author.last');
   t.equal(lastName, 'Martin');
-  
+
+  var lastNameHyphenated = book.valueWithPath('author.last@hyphenated');
+  t.equal(lastNameHyphenated, "no");
+
+  var publisherName = book.valueWithPath('publisher.last@hyphenated');
+  t.equal(publisherName, undefined);
+
+  t.end();
+})
+
+t.test('valueWithPath with text', function (t) {
+
+  var xmlString = '<book><author>text<first>George R.R.</first><last hyphenated="no">Martin</last></author></book>';
+  var book = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+
+  var lastName = book.valueWithPath('author.last');
+  t.equal(lastName, 'Martin');
+
   var lastNameHyphenated = book.valueWithPath('author.last@hyphenated');
   t.equal(lastNameHyphenated, "no");
 
@@ -207,10 +386,10 @@ t.test('valueWithPath', function (t) {
 })
 
 t.test('toString', function (t) {
-  
+
   var xmlString = '<books><book title="Twilight"/></books>';
   var doc = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
-  
+
   t.equal(doc.toString(), '<books>\n  <book title="Twilight"/>\n</books>');
   t.equal(doc.toString({compressed:true}), '<books><book title="Twilight"/></books>');
 
@@ -222,9 +401,19 @@ t.test('toString', function (t) {
 
   xmlString = '<hello><![CDATA[<world>]]></hello>';
   doc = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
-  
+
   t.equal(doc.toString(), '<hello><![CDATA[<world>]]></hello>');
 
+  xmlString = '<hello>Hello<!-- , --> <![CDATA[<world>]]>!</hello>';
+  doc = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+
+  t.equal(doc.toString({preserveWhitespace:true}), '<hello>\n  Hello\n  <!-- , -->\n   \n  <![CDATA[<world>]]>\n  !\n</hello>');
+
+  xmlString = '<hello>hello, <world/>!</hello>';
+  doc = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
+
+  t.equal(doc.toString(), '<hello>\n  hello,\n  <world/>\n  !\n</hello>');
+
   xmlString = '<hello>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam et accumsan nisi.</hello>';
   doc = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
 
@@ -234,11 +423,11 @@ t.test('toString', function (t) {
   try {
     // test that adding stuff to the Object prototype doesn't interfere with attribute exporting
     Object.prototype.cruftyExtension = "You don't want this string to be exported!";
-    
+
     var xmlString = '<books><book title="Twilight"/></books>';
     var doc = new XmlDocument(xmlString);
-    
-    t.equal(doc.toString(), '<books>\n  <book title="Twilight"/>\n</books>');    
+
+    t.equal(doc.toString(), '<books>\n  <book title="Twilight"/>\n</books>');
   }
   finally {
     delete Object.prototype.cruftyExtensionMethod;