Liz-
I think you'll be very happy with the E-P1. Imagine your G9 with the image quality of your XTi. I really think that's what you can expect. There is an accessory flash if you find you need it. It's tiny and light. Regarding shutter-lag, for the kind of shooting you do I don't think you'll notice it. I never noticed it when I was shooting in New York. It wasn't until I tried to shoot some mountain biking with it that I noticed it. And even then, once I was aware of it I was able to adjust my timing and compensate for it.