diff --git a/src/statecharts/interpreter.ts b/src/statecharts/interpreter.ts
index 447c64c..a412518 100644
--- a/src/statecharts/interpreter.ts
+++ b/src/statecharts/interpreter.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,10 @@ export function initialize(ast: Statechart): BigStepOutput {
   let history = new Map();
   let enteredStates, environment, rest;
   ({enteredStates, environment, history, ...rest} = enterDefault(0, ast.root, {
-    environment: new Environment([new Map([["_timers", []]])]),
+    environment: new Environment([new Map<string, any>([
+      ["_timers", []],
+      ["_log", (str: string) => console.log(str)],
+    ])]),
     history,
     ...initialRaised,
   }));
diff --git a/src/statecharts/parser.ts b/src/statecharts/parser.ts
index a148b2d..790c0d2 100644
--- a/src/statecharts/parser.ts
+++ b/src/statecharts/parser.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import {  ConcreteState, HistoryState, OrState, PseudoState, Statechart, Transition } from "./abstract_syntax";
+import {  ConcreteState, HistoryState, OrState, PseudoState, Statechart, stateDescription, Transition } from "./abstract_syntax";
 import { Rountangle } from "./concrete_syntax";
 import { isEntirelyWithin, Rect2D } from "../VisualEditor/geometry";
 import { Action, EventTrigger, Expression, ParsedText } from "./label_ast";
@@ -352,6 +352,13 @@ export function parseStatechart(state: VisualEditorState, conns: Connections): [
     }
   }
 
+  // sort children by their label
+  for (const state of uid2State.values()) {
+    if (state.kind === "and") {
+      state.children.sort((a, b) => stateDescription(a).localeCompare(stateDescription(b)));
+    }
+  }
+
   return [{
     root,
     transitions,