Welcome to the forum. Based on what you say you're looking for, I don't thing the Rebel series is what you're looking for. Don't get me wrong, I think they are great cameras and would recomend them to someon looking for a DSLR, but I don't think it will meet your needs without getting an extra lens or two. You might find something that meets your needs in the advanced digital market, rather than getting an SLR. I did a quick search at B&H and found this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...goryNavigation

I have never used one of these so I know nothing about them, other than what I read in the specs page. That being said, it has macro capabilities, a zoom range from 28mm-300mm, 9 megapixels, built in flash...

I'm sure there are others that will meet your needs without all the extra gear to cary around. This is just the first one I saw.

Good luck with your purchase.